SELF: Of all the people I talked to, you were among the most alert and energetic, so I was very impressed.
Josh Graves: Yeah, I don't know how I can actually still function. [Laughs.] This is my fifth marathon. I have number six on December 1st in Seattle, and then seven is Eugene in April, and eight is San Francisco.
I did my fourth two weeks ago, and it was tough. I spent a lot of time alone on the course, and that was probably the first time I really had to push myself because I lost field support around mile 17.
What prompted you to start running, or take part in a marathon?
My wife. Someone told him they didn't think he could do half of it, and that got him interested, and I was like, “Yeah, I'll do one half with you.” Then we finished it and I saw it was half price for the next year, so I did it again. Our first marathon is in 2022. And he is very excited to do it this year.
What do you find rewarding about marathon running in general, as a physical or emotional achievement, or both?
Grave: Both of them. This shows me that I am not giving up. It's really hard to do some of these runs, and when I'm out there at mile 20 and I just want to stop and say, “No, I'm done,” I show myself what I can do. And in the end, that makes it totally worth it. Once you finish, you feel a feeling of satisfaction, a rush of endorphins. Truly extraordinary.