Turning one marathon into fifty

Woman runs a 5k, doesn’t die, decides to sign up for another.

Woman runs a 10k, doesn’t die and starts thinking about longer distances.

Woman decides to run a marathon and figures a half marathon would be good to mix into training. She also decides to mix in a 30k. Gets injured training for these races, but runs them anyway, hobbling a lot.

Woman persuades unsuspecting friend who has never run more than a half marathon to run the full marathon with her.

Woman and friend run marathon. Woman runs injured. Has to walk a lot. Reaches 20 miles in considerable pain. Stops for a quick pic. Crosses finish line in tears. Finds her friend, goes directly to the food, then goes home to collapse into her husbands arms swearing she will NEVER run another marathon again.

Woman wakes up the next day feeling like she could conquer the world, signs up for another marathon.

Woman has to stop running because of her injury. Woman has lots of time to obsess about running.

Woman trains like a pro, foam rolls and eats like a pro, stays disciplined, focused, and determined to make this marathon what the last one couldn’t be because of injury.

Woman has tiny panic attacks all night before the marathon, and nearly can’t make herself leave the hotel for the start line. Vomiting never happened, but was a real possibility.

Woman runs the marathon like a pro (albeit quite a bit slower than one), never walks, never really struggles, climbs the course’s big hill like a boss, finishes with confidence and finally feels like a marathoner.

Woman remembers meeting a woman from North Dakota in her first marathon. This woman planted a seed in the new marathoner’s heart, 50 marathons in 50 states.

Woman runs two more marathons and plans to follow in her new friend from North Dakota’s footsteps, almost literally.

50 marathons in 50 states before 50 (years of age).

Woman has 12 years and 3 months to make this happen.