When you're going uphill, you're not thinking straight...you're thinking tired, drained, sluggish. You're thinking as if the rest of the run is going to feel exactly like it feels at that moment.
When I ran my first marathon, by about 20 miles in, I said to myself, "I'll NEVER do this again." I even said the words "First and Last!" to the event staff. When the race was over I took off my shoes and told my wife "Burn 'em. I'll never need them again."
About a week later while still recovering, I said that if my (as-of-yet unborn) daughter wants me to run one with her, I'll get in shape for a second marathon.
Fully healed, a week after that, I decided that I'm running two marathons in 2011...and I'm going to clear one of them an hour faster than my first one. Just the fact that I call it "my first marathon" is a remind to myself that I plan on running more of them.
Too many times I go out and without a distance in mind and decide where to turn around while running uphill. It's those times that I run 5 miles when I've really got 7 miles in me. Nothing sucks more than finishing and feeling like you didn't leave it all on the field. So in running, as well as in life, wait until you reach level ground before making the tough choices.
Glad to know there are more marathons in your future. Go for it!
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