Nine hundred and seventy-eight finishers in the half and full marathons last Sunday and for sure there are 978 different stories to tell! Excitement, endurance, sheer physical struggle and that's just in the queue for the toilet at the start.

Marathons are amazing, probably no other easily accessible pursuit allows each of us to come face-to-face with (and learn to overcome) those pesky inner weaknesses.

If you've got a finish medal hanging on the wall at home, you'll know how the internal argument between your body and your mind goes.

Something like this - (body) "This is tough, can you slow down?" (mind) "We're fine, shut up!"

A bit later - (body) "We really can't keep this up... we have to slow down!" (mind) "Absolutely not. Keep going!"

Somewhere past Msida with one mile to go - (body) "That's it! We're finished. We've got to lie down! This was a crazy idea!" (mind - through gritted teeth) "Don't. You. Dare. Stop!"

Along the way we all learn that our bodies are basically wimps at the first sign of discomfort and that the mind is everything. Overcoming your desire to slow down and ultimately winning that invisible, internal confrontation can tend to be life-altering.

The physical and emotional release crossing the finish line is often overwhelming: everything from tears to joy to laughter. Suddenly everyone is your friend and you are mad keen to hug the first 17 people you meet.

I imagine that some gruelling physical feat like climbing the Everest provokes a similar high.

Yet, why travel halfway across the world when the Malta Marathon is available to us all?

No job too big

Remember before the race when I told you there was no job too big it could not be run away from? And that you were to postpone anything and everything so you would come fresh to the startline?

Well, the race is over and that job is now before us. Roll up your sleeves. I'm going to treat this in two parts: my task and then yours.

Here's my task: this year we introduced a half marathon walking event for the first time.

We never promoted it in any way but just accepted those people who asked if they could walk the whole way instead of run. Due to road closure issues, and the fact we know that walkers will take longer to cover 21 km than runners, we started the (walking) event one hour ahead of the (running) half marathon.

There were not many on the line, perhaps 20, with approximately eight of them being Japanese and one fellow from Canada.

The scarcity of participants this year was immaterial: from small acorns great oak trees grow.

These walking events within marathons are immensely popular abroad. I witnessed as many as 2,000 Americans walking the Dublin Marathon many years ago.

I like the walking idea because it makes the event seem more achievable; more within the scope of "normal" people. As a percentage of the population, few Maltese run, yet almost everyone walks.

Not enough, it's true... we are too near the top of European obese statistics, but they do walk.

So, the ultimate aim in promoting walking is not as a sporting activity, but as a health-building activity, and just like all runners, these walkers are going to need a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Nothing focuses the mind like an upcoming event.

So, for the MMOC, the task is two-pronged. First, we are going to see how we can best promote walking as a healthy pursuit. Just thinking out loud this might include articles in The Times and walking "training schedules" either here or on the marathon website. We'll have a think how best to build on this.

Secondly; we will provide a reason to walk, a target to aim for... the Land Rover Malta Half Marathon Walk 2010. It's to get this nation on its feet.

Right, here's your task.

Be an example. It's not as easy as it sounds, but you are no longer one of those who just talk, or wish some day they might, or some other kind of excuse.

When I ran my first marathon I looked down at myself and I didn't see no super hero. I saw an ordinary guy who had just achieved what he thought was an extraordinary thing.

And that's what will surprise people when they see you... an ordinary person who has just done an extraordinary thing.

Now I would like you to be subtle about this. There's no need to scare the bejeezus out of people by handing out running schedules for 100 miles per week and showing them your blisters. Just be your simple self and provide an example of what an ordinary person can achieve.

And that's it from me... at least for now. On behalf of the organizing committee, the event sponsor, Land Rover, and the Official Partners - San Michel, Urban Jungle, eWorld and Powerade - we hope the races were all we promised and all you hoped they would be.

If you had a time target in mind and achieved it, please accept our heartiest congratulations.

However if you had one and for some reason did not achieve it, don't worry, it just gives you something to aim for next year in what will be the 25th Malta Marathon. We look forward to seeing you there.

johnwalsh42195@yahoo.it