On April 16, 2018 over 30,000 runners crossed the starting line of the world’s most prestigious marathon. The race that begins in Hopkinton, and finishes in Copley Square in the heart of Boston, is known for rigor and grandeur. It is the crown jewel of marathons for runners from the weekend warrior class to the world class elite runners sponsored and clothed by the finest professional brands. On this spring New England day, the temperatures hover in around 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The winds howl as headwinds reportedly reaching 35 miles per hour at times. Spectators and announcers comment that these conditions are some of the worst ever remembered for the Boston Marathon. Far less than ideal weather for a day of racing.

Of the 30,000+ runners that toe the starting line is a highly decorated United States marathoner named Desiree Linden. Linden, originally from California, competed for the Arizona State Sun Devils in college in multiple distances on the track as well as the cross country team. A two-time NCAA All-American, Linden turned pro in 2006, racing under the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project team in Charlevoix, Michigan. A two-time Olympian at the marathon distance, “Des” is a fan favorite and a beloved runner in the global running community. 

But, the unique thing about Des Linden is, in her professional running career, she’s never actually won a marathon race. If you don’t believe me, take a look at her races since turning pro in 2007, all the way until her sixth time toeing the line in Boston on this day in 2018. 

2007 Boston Marathon: 43rd Place

2008 United States Olympic Trials: 13th Place

2008 Chicago Marathon: 5th Place

2009 IAAF World Championships: 10th Place

2010 Chicago Marathon: 2nd Place

2011 Boston Marathon: 2nd Place (Lost by 2 seconds)

2012 United States Olympic Trials: 2nd Place

2012 London Olympic Games: DNF (stress fracture)

2013 Berlin Marathon: 5th Place

2014 Boston Marathon: 10th Place

2014 New York City Marathon: 5th Place

2015 Boston Marathon: 4th Place

2016 United States Olympic Trials: 2nd Place

2016 Olympic Games: 7th Place

2017 Boston Marathon: 4th Place

As the race begins the weather continues to worsen. High winds and heavy rain beat down on the runners as their feet pound the pavement, and splash through puddles of water, while navigating the 26.2 mile course in Boston. After months of training and preparing for this race, the runners now must find a way to not only endure the historic course, but also these unprecedented conditions.

Overwhelmed with the monstrous headwinds and conditions the lead pack of the Women’s elite field begins the race at a snail's pace. The racers know that to come out too fast, and lead alone in this weather would be a terrible mistake. Only a fool would run in these conditions alone. The top twelve or so contenders work together to block the wind, keeping each other within an arm’s reach and within striking distance of each other for miles. The time for risk taking will come eventually, but no one wants to fight these elements alone.

Somewhere between the start of the race and the half-way point, Des Linden has decided today is not going to be her day. The conditions so cold, the winds so strong, the rain unrelenting, a runner could seriously injure themselves in this atmosphere. As she maintains the pace with the lead pack, Linden strongly considers dropping out of the race. Knowing that if she drops out eventually, she won’t have to conserve anything for the later parts of the race, she tells a fellow American runner, Shalane Flanagan that her intention is to drop out. She expresses to Shalane that before she goes, she is available to help Shalane’s pursuit of the title by blocking the wind or helping pace. Linden’s focus shifted from surviving the elements to helping someone else succeed.

At the halfway point, Flanagan is in need of help. After having to stop briefly she has fallen behind the lead pack by about 100 meters. Running alone, facing the elements while attempting to close the distance to the lead pack would be nearly impossible. She is in need of a friend, there to help her is none other than Des Linden. True to her word, she helps Flanagan regain the lead pack and they both join the group of twelve elite runners.

About one hour and twenty-two minutes into the grueling race, Des Linden has fallen off the lead pack. She trails a large group of the top contenders who are chasing the leader, Mamitu Daska. An elite Ethiopian runner, Daska has built a nineteen-second lead on the rest of the field and looks strong. If ever an understandable time to drop out of the race for Des Linden, now would be it, she's over thirty-seconds behind the leader, the conditions are getting worse. She has already decided it is not going to be her day. She’s helped Shalane regain the lead group. It would make sense that now would be the time to peel off and watch the runners advance towards Copley Square. No one would blame her. It isn’t her day.

But somehow Linden is still going. True to her career mantra “Just Keep Showing Up” Linden continues to show up in this fight against the elements, the racing field, and this historic course. But Des Linden is also fighting an albatross, having never won the Boston Marathon in five tries, dropping out today would also mean dropping out of the pursuit of her dream. It would mean waiting another year for another opportunity to win the race. If she peeled off the course it would satisfy in the moment, but the pain of missing the goal for the sixth time would sink in eventually. She keeps showing up, one mile at a time.

At the 15 mile mark Linden is surging. She has passed the pack of elite women chasing the leader and has emerged with one other contender to chase Daska. It is a three woman race with a lot of course left to settle the result. By mile 21, Des Linden is in second place and trails the leader by two seconds. Two seconds is a significant number as Linden lost the Boston Marathon in 2011 by two seconds. On the infamous “Heart-Break Hill” in the 21st mile of a bad race day, it’s now a two woman race with five miles to go.

On the toughest racing day, and in the toughest section of the historic course, Des Linden takes over the lead and doesn’t look back. With a little under five miles remaining, Des Linden is on her way to her first marathon victory and first Boston Marathon win in six tries. The sixth time's the charm for Des Linden. 

The day that was her day to shine, the day she had been waiting for her entire life, started by not feeling like it was her day. The champion spent over half the race, contemplating peeling off the course. There will be no bowing out of the race for Linden. She builds over a four minute lead on the second place finisher en route to her first Boston Marathon victory.

The marathon is wildly similar to life. It’s not a sprint, it’s a long distance, only manageable by taking it one step at a time. The empty miles occupy the mind, but at a capacity that allows for contemplation and pondering, which can be dangerous in the realm of delayed gratification. The distance of the marathon, offers such a delay from start to finish that even the strongest minds and seasoned athletes are given enough “down time” to consider conceding defeat. Add in tremendous discomfort and it’s amazing anyone finishes the race. Des Linden’s marathon career is a lot like most human pursuits. Daily plodding and training, building skill, building up for checkpoints. Preparing for an event, falling short of the goal, setting a new goal, preparing for the new goal, falling short of the new goal. Day after day, year after year, continuing to show up.

It doesn’t take an experienced marathoner to relate to the struggle of pursuing something worthy, only to be denied repeatedly. Perhaps it is a dream job you have interviewed for, a company promotion you feel suits you well, an application to medical school, a tryout for the varsity team, it takes tremendous courage to pursue something again after being deflated. It’s not easy to step back in the ring after getting knocked out. Similar to running her race, we are presented the opportunity to keep showing up in the same manner as Des Linden. Here are a few ideas for our next mile in the race.

It is easy to glamorize success

We live in a day and age where everyone’s highlights are on the continuous reel in our eyes and in our minds. We see everyone’s end results, their arrival after years of pursuing things in the dark. Because of the highlight effect, we often fail to consider the struggle that preceded the breakthrough. We compare our sluggish miles to their breaking of the tape. It is easy to believe the champion never felt fatigued, never felt like quitting, never was tempted to drop out of the race, and hang up the running shoes. In fact, the opposite is true. If you pursue anything for an extended period of time, you will of course feel like quitting. Don’t fall for the self-imposed myth that to struggle means you aren’t on the right path or aren’t cut out for the challenge. If you are contemplating abandoning the pursuit, it likely means you are on the exact right path. You are in good company. 

You don’t have to have the perfect conditions

Most feel that when the stars align, they have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. But what happens when it feels like the stars aren’t aligning in your favor but rather everything aligns against you? I would imagine, Des Linden would have never envisioned the day she would finally win the Boston Marathon, the first half of the race she would feel so sluggish. That she would spend over half the race considering quitting, and the greatest day of her running career would come in thirty-degree temperatures and thirty-five mile per hour winds. You never know what “your day” will actually look like. All you can do is keep showing up, stay in the fight and seize the opportunity when it presents itself at the end of the race.

Grit is a force multiplier

It’s no coincidence on a day when conditions were at their worst, Des Linden emerged as the champion. Having never won a marathon in her professional career that spans over a decade, Des Linden has learned the power of grit. Courage and resolve. The stubbornness to keep showing up despite how frustrating and emotional the pursuit can get. Des Linden has trained the skill of facing doubt, fear, and frustration while continuing to stay on the path. If you are presented with setbacks, failure, anonymity, and adversity, take heart, you may have been given the perfect training ground for the characteristic you will need most when playing the long game. Grit. 

Run your race, Stay The Course,

JB