Running the marathon is an intense experience and although each person has slightly different reactions there are a few common themes that crop up time and time again…

When you cross the line, you’re immediately overcome with a tsunami of emotion. You don’t know whether to laugh, cry or scream with joy.

via GIPHY

When you collect your medal, you feel like an Olympic champion, and expect the national anthem to break out at any moment.

via GIPHY

That was the worst experience of your life; you’re pretty sure this has to be worse than childbirth (whatever the wife says).

via GIPHY

That was the best experience of your life, better than the birth of your first child.

via GIPHY

You begin to sense the scale of your achievement and crack a smile.

via GIPHY

You then realise how much pain you’re in.

via GIPHY

Your loved ones greet you, and yup, you get all bloody emotional again.

via GIPHY

Your obligatory social media post goes up on your timeline. Anyone who doesn’t ‘like’ it, will be getting de-friended in the morning.

via GIPHY

You don’t care about refueling with healthy nutrition; you just want to sink a pint so bad.

via GIPHY

You eventually get to a pub, sink that pint. And, immediately, you’re hammered.

via GIPHY

You realise you’re ravenous.

via GIPHY

You and your loved ones hit the local curry house, safe in the knowledge no amount of calories you eat now will undo the work you did today.

via GIPHY

The entire evening you wear your medal and recant different stories from different points of the race.

via GIPHY

Any chance you get to slip in the fact that you ran a marathon, you take it. Jill at the checkout doesn’t care, neither does the random guy on the bus trying to get off, but you tell them the extended version anyway.

via GIPHY

You eventually get to bed feeling half-cut, proud, very tired and in a lot pain. You fall asleep straight away.

via GIPHY

via GIPHY

 The next day your ITB is so tight, you’re pretty sure there’s something seriously wrong.

via GIPHY

You learn very quickly that walking downstairs is harder than walking upstairs.

via GIPHY

You’re online researching how long the pain stays with you after a marathon.

via GIPHY

Then a thought hits you: when’s the next one?

via GIPHY