USC Marathon Team
Running has never been my favorite activity. I had grown up with asthma and always struggled to keep up with other kids. At first, the idea of running a marathon was completely over my head. Heck, I got tired driving 26.2 miles let alone running it. And what would I do for that long of a time? I mean don't people get bored? However, with a little encouragement from my hall mate Ali and my sister and our friend, both very avid marathon runners, I soon joined the marathon team. Ali reasoned it seemed very manageable, just three runs during the week and a long run during the weekend. What really got me hooked was the fact that I could eat WHATEVER I wanted! I mean that was my dream, not having to worry about food consumption.
I can still remember my first long run. It was 6:50am and I thought I
was dreaming. The only people up at this absurd hour were Ali, the
garbage man, and I. I was worried because I had never met any of the
coaches or anyone on the team, and one was an army major after all! What
turned out to be a daunting task became one of the most empowering
experiences of my life.
Fast forward 6 months. Our team had grown into a cohesive group and I
met some very cool people. If it were not for the encouragement of many
of my teammates, there is no way I could have accomplished each long
run. As we progressed closer to the actual date, our team grew closer
and supported each other more and more. This is what really got me up
every Saturday at 8am. It never really hit me that we were running the
marathon until about 2 hours before the actual race. I had always told
people, "Oh yeah, it's March 6, I've got plenty of time."
My sister and our friend met Ali, my Resident Advisor and I on a brisk
morning at precisely 6:20am. I wasn't nervous; I was just ready to
tackle it. In fact, I was pumped up. Our team met together and calmed
each other's nerves. It really helped to have such a great group of
people who all felt the same way you did. There aren't many things that
compare to the camaraderie of that morning. We got together for what
seemed like an eternity to take pictures. Drew called us together to do
a team huddle. As we did the "So-Cal Spellout", I remember looking up at
the buildings with our voices bouncing off the walls and creating the
most amazing atmosphere. This was no longer a race, it was something
that we were going to destroy. Training with the team gave me the
confidence to obliterate any nervousness I had.
What truly motivated me were the countless people yelling 'Fight On!'. Each time I held the V sign up and pushed harder. Although it sounds corny, it felt like we were upholding the Trojan spirit. It was our destiny to finish this marathon. We were strong warriors among a few. Being an incoming Freshman, I had always heard that USC had this great spirit beyond the school.
Alumnus and current students had a strong
connection, and it was the spirit of Troy. I truly felt that. It was a
certain energy that kept me going. The first 16 miles flew by like
nothing. I felt good and there was no stopping us. Between 18 and 22 I
felt very drained. I was running on less than fumes, my body was using
every bit of resource it had to take every step. The one thing that kept
me going was the support of my friends and the fans on the sidelines. My
family met me at various mile markers which really helped me make
specific goals. I told myself, "Just get to mile 21 and you can get a
little rest." Just seeing people you recognize and having them cheer you
on was enough to think past the pain. I never truly realized how much
pain I was in until I stopped. It literally felt like knives were going
through my quads.
I had to push on, if not for the people on the sidelines, certainly for
the team. As I got to mile 24, I told myself, just one lap around
campus. It was cake, I had done this tons of times. I approached the
finish line, down Olympic. The next street was Fig, I have never been
happier to see that street sign. As we rounded the corner we saw
thousands of people on either side screaming for each and every person
crossing that line. Ali and I looked at each other and let out a huge
yell. We sprinted for the line. Where did that energy come from? I have
no idea. It was certainly part of the electricity of the crowd. We got
faster and faster. The crowd got louder and louder. In retrospect I
really wished we had slowed down to take in the moment. But it was a
race, we were finishing as fast as possible. As we crossed the finish
line, Ali and I clasped hands. Two Trojans, battling through it to the
end. Many people say I'm crazy for doing a marathon. I tell them, until
they experience the energy and jubilation from that kind of a feat, they
will have no idea what I am talking about. It is something that needs to
be experienced. In fact, it's quite addicting. My only worry is that I
will never be able to get enough of that feeling.
Nick Palefsky