The marathon is equal parts magic, challenge, suffering and triumph. I sat fixated on ESPN2 yesterday morning watching the New York City Marathon unfold on my TV screen (as I religiously checked my phone to track my friends who were running the race). Through the moments of greatness and the moments of despair, the emotions of the marathon overtook me.

I understood the sadness and pain of those who so desperately wanted more from their day. I understood the joy of those who had personal bests despite the unfavorable weather conditions. I imagined the feelings of all the runners who had trained for many months only to face intense wind that made their victories so much harder.

The New York City Marathon reminded me of so many lessons.

1. We never know what race day will give us. We have to be ready to adjust our goals and do our very best with what we’re dealt. I found myself reminding my friends who were running the marathon yesterday to acknowledge the unfortunate conditions and choose to conquer the race anyway. I know that is a lot easier said than done. Being a runner is about adapting. You tuck in behind others when the wind is whipping at your face and you change your strategy when the weather puts your dreams in jeopardy. We can only control ourselves and how we react. We can only do the best we can in that moment, using all our training and strength and knowledge to give it our best on that very day. That best may not be what we were hoping for, but our best is all we can ask of ourselves. There are no guarantees when it comes to the marathon.

2. Our best races often aren’t measured by the time on the clock. Not every race can be our fastest race, and quite often, the ones that are most important aren’t the ones that go perfectly (do any races go perfectly?). It’s the races in which we choose to persevere when the odds aren’t in our favor that we learn, grow and get stronger. I know it doesn’t always feel that way when you’re in the moment and you fall short of a time you’ve been training to achieve for months, but there is deep victory in never giving up or giving in. There is immense triumph is continuing on when the rational thing to do is quit. That is what the marathon is all about – overcoming challenges that shouldn’t be possible. Persevering against all odds.

3. The marathon shows us that the human spirit is deep. As I watched Kara Goucher cross the finish line nearly 7 minutes slower than she had hoped, the sadness and disappointment in her emotions brought me to tears. Her interview holding her son who kissed her and encouraged her to stop crying while speaking to the reporter was so raw and vulnerable (here is her emotional post-race interview with Flo Track). While most of us will never know what it feels like to run a 2:37 marathon, let alone be disappointed about that kind of time, I understood her heartbreak. When you want something so bad and you work for it so long, you want to see progress and growth. We want to be the best versions of ourselves. We want to show others that is possible. After all, that’s why we run marathons right? — To reach our greatest potential and show ourselves anything is possible. There is a deep dark place we all experience at some point during a marathon when we’re trying to figure out how we can possibly go on. Our spirit, our spark we find is truly remarkable. It reminds us who we are and how strong we are. To struggle to the finish is just as meaningful as floating across the finish. The emotional and spiritual experience of the marathon remind us over and over again about the power of the human spirit and the profound way running can touch our souls.

4. Every marathon is a miracle. The ability to run 26.2 miles is a gift. A miracle. The human body probably shouldn’t be able to do it. Our mind shouldn’t be able to handle it. And we continue proving them both wrong time and time again. For every personal best on the streets of New York yesterday as well as every personal struggle, you are all amazing. My hat goes off to all of you. Hope and dreams are alive at the start and finish of every marathon. Never forget that.

Did you watch or run in the New York City Marathon? What will you remember most from the race? What other lessons have your most challenging races taught you to help you become a better runner?