Thoughts I Had While Running the 2016 BMW Dallas Marathon

Low clouds, cool temps, and steady winds accompanied me as I stood alongside my aunt, uncle, and nearly 20,000 other runners on Sunday morning, waiting for the start of the 46th annual Dallas Marathon. The starting line was the culmination of a mid-summer pact to tackle a long-awaited bucket-list item. I figured the best way to experience my first marathon would be to explore my city. Of the three of us, I had run the most to prepare (up to 20 miles at one point), and I was ready to test my limits.

Not every runner who stepped across the starting line was able to complete the trek, but we all experienced Dallas the way most don’t: by running through some of the city’s most cherished neighborhoods. I’ve lived in Dallas since I was three, and I thought I’d seen almost every crevice of this city. I was wrong. During my 26.2-mile tour, I pushed my body further than ever before, and experienced my city from a new perspective.

Between water and Gatorade breaks, I took note of a few thoughts that ran through my head as I made my way through the city on foot—neighborhood by neighborhood.

 

Downtown 

Starting and finishing along Young Street were my favorite parts of the marathon, and not because of what the start and finish lines symbolize. As you’re starting —and then completing your journey— there’s the opportunity to take in Dallas’ towering skyscrapers. Downtown may not (yet) be as vibrant and bustling as cities such as New York, but nothing beats our skyline. (No, really. It’s ranked one of the world’s best.)

 

Highland Park and University Park

This sector of the course was enjoyable as it gave me a chance to appreciate the design and the size of some Dallas’ most beautiful homes. The houses along Lakeside Drive, with massive driveways and pristine lawns, were especially impressive. What do they do with all of that space? I thought as I ran.

The people along the M Streets are who I hope to be in my thirties.

M Streets

The people along this stretch are who I hope to be in my thirties. They had some of the wittiest signs (“Worst Parade Ever,” “If Trump Can Run So Can You,” and “What Took You So Long?”), but they also were the most giving. One woman left water bottles in her driveway with a sign that read “Help Yourself!” Another family gave away mimosas, which were mostly untouched. (I personally fought the temptation to drink one, fearful that the bubbly would upset my stomach, and I think most runners felt the same way.)

 

White Rock Lake

During my training, the lake became my running sanctuary, and I couldn’t wait to pay a visit during the marathon. But as I reached the halfway point of the marathon, my body began to tire and the winds started to pick up, making miles 14-18 an unpleasant experience.

 

Swiss Avenue

Though the houses were nice to look at, this stretch of the race was not. During Mile 10, Swiss Avenue was the first time I started to feel lonely as the half-marathoners headed back to Downtown during Mile 9. On the way back, during Mile 23, I felt a sharp pain shoot up from my ankle while running down Swiss Avenue. I had to stop and stretch against a curb for a few minutes before I could continue. After a few steps, I began limping. This run-stop-limp combination went on for most of this mile.

 

Deep Ellum 

It was weird being on these streets during the day. I remembered better, less-painful times as I ran through: shows at Club Dada and the Bomb Factory, drinks at High & Tight and Off the Record, and dancing at Truth and Alibi.

 

I forgot about my throbbing ankle as soon as I saw the final 800 meters sign and entered a full sprint. I knew I was about to run by my friends and family, and I didn’t want them to think I had suffered my way through the last six miles. (Plus, I had to have long strides for all of the pictures, right?) I finished the marathon with a time of 4 hours and 50 minutes, accomplishing my goal to finish in less than five hours.

I originally planned on celebrating in Uptown or Lower Greenville, but as soon as I crossed the finish line, all I wanted was to lie down. I was so afraid of how my body would react to running 26.2 miles that I didn’t even drink the two free beers you get for finishing. Though I didn’t have a proper celebration, I’ll be sure to do so soon, and do it somewhere I haven’t been before. No matter how long you’ve lived in a city, there’s always more to explore.

Jesus Jimenez is a writer and now a marathon runner. He promises not to buy a 26.2 bumper sticker.