Last week, I was in the United States for less than 40 hours. I basically just claimed my race kit at the race expo, ran the Mesa Marathon, and flew back to the country in time to spend my 54th birthday with family.

It was by far my shortest trip to the US.

I say this not to brag in any way but to illustrate the insane things I do in my attempt to make things work — e.g., satisfy my work obligations, pursue my running passion, and celebrate a special occasion with my family.

I registered for this race and planned the trip before my schedule got crazy and while it was a logical option to simply cancel the trip, I also didn’t want to miss a precious opportunity to run a marathon with my US-based best friend.

One can imagine how extremely exhausting that long haul flight (with two layovers) to Mesa was. And to still run 42 kilometers just a week after my last with inadequate sleep was really just pushing my luck as far as my health is concerned.

But it was all worth it.

And this is what a lot of people who aren’t into endurance sports may not get.

Many believe that physical activity or exercise has diminishing returns and can in fact be deleterious the more it pushes the limits of one’s physical endurance. They do not appreciate the fact that endurance sports are as much about mental health as physical health. So even if the jury is out on the physical benefit, the enormous mental benefit simply cannot be denied.

I’m also thankful that I was able to explore another city despite the all too meager time I had.

I have always said that the best way to explore a new place is on foot, during the marathon. One gets to take in the sights, interact with thousands of strangers in the race and along the route, all with heightened senses. The bonus this time is I ran a lot of the race alongside my best friend.

Mesa is a beautiful city with a very laid back small town feel. Arizona is, of course, known for its beautiful landscapes. Mesa sits in a huge cactus dessert. Cacti play a vital role in the ecosystem of Mesa providing food and shelter for various desert creatures, including birds, insects and small mammals.

The heat can be intense in the summer so the 24C-temperature when we ran was considered “mild.” For us, it was the hottest international marathon we’ve ran.

I learned of the Mesa Marathon when a running influencer I follow on social media, Nico Felich, talked about planning to beat his marathon PR in Mesa’s gently downhill course.

My problem is that when Americans describe a course as “fast and flat” (like the California International Marathon route) or gently downhill (like the Tunnel Marathon route), it doesn’t turn out exactly as expected.

While the net elevation may be downhill, the course could be rolling. The Tunnel Marathon even turned out to be mostly a trail run. These “surprises” are of course par for the course in any marathon and are actually part of what makes each race exciting.

That said, it was a very well organized and fun race to run. I just really wish I had more time to spend in the city.

Next year, they have announced the holding of the inaugural Phoenix marathon. I am already tempted.