Dear Marathon,

Dear Marathon,

Can we be friends? I have dedicated a good part of my time and effort trying to get to know you better. We have met 3 times, but I still don't feel as if I know you very well. You are a tough nut to crack. You've been kind to me initially. But just when I think I have you figured out, you throw up a "wall" and all bets are off. Your relative, Half-Marathon, has been more generous. Even as I have given my all to that relationship, Half-Marathon has rewarded me with a sense of accomplishment. I wish I could have a similar friendship with you. Until then, I will keep experimenting, working hard, and preparing to meet you again.

You even rejected Ryan Hall, Abdihaken Abdirahman, and Desiree Davila at the London Olympics. That's 50% of our athletes, pretty tough odds. Yes, we have run the "course" of our relationship, but somehow, it's always me who loses her dignity after you've chewed me up and spat me out. After we met the last time, it took me weeks to get over you. You even managed to interfere with my 5k. I'm not complaining too much about that (I don't really like him anyway).

When I dedicate myself to you, I sacrifice triathlon, bike rides, half-marathons, and other friends. I have to be single minded as I prepare for our upcoming meeting. No matter, I am willing to do what it takes to be your friend. Hopefully, next time, we can leave this relationship with mutual respect. See you soon!

Sincerely,

A dedicated runner

So, You Like to Run......

"So, you like to run?" was the conversation opener my future husband used over 27 years ago. A runner himself, his interest was peaked when my college roommates addressed me as the "apartment runner". I am still a runner through 5 pregnancies, plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles and several moves, but my husband has navigated to the bike as a result of screaming sciatic/back pain. Finding myself alone at the start of my last marathon and living in a remote rural area, I felt a need to reach out to other runners.

Running has been a part of my life for over 30 years. Wow, that seems like so long and I guess it is. People have asked me why I run. I've never been able to give a complete concise answer to their question. I love the feel of my heart beating fast, my breath quickening, my body working to it's full potential. I like to feel the fresh air against my skin, see a deer in the morning light, smell the irrigation water in the fields. I enjoy listening to the new songs I downloaded. I like to run far from town and look back knowing that where ever I went, I did that on my own without a motor to help me. I like to come home and feel invigorated by a good work out. Sometimes I think of myself as an explorer imagining that I am the only person who has ever run on this remote road before. It is a quest of mine to find a road I have not run on yet in my area. It is getting harder and harder. Sometimes I imagine myself a famous runner with perfect form, running the race of my life. Then my husband snaps my picture and I am brought back down to earth as I criticize my flabby legs. I like being a part of like minded people huddling around the start of a race in the early morning cold. Runners are a crazy group and I like being a part of it. Not many people run in my area so that is the only time I can associate with other runners.

I am not a serious runner, a runner who is competitive in their age group (unless you count our local 5k). But, I am serious about what I do. I haven't always been serious about my running. I used to just run for fun or because I couldn't imagine not running. Now I still run for fun, but I am chasing the clock. I didn't really start entering races until about 5 years ago. I kick myself for not starting earlier. Now I can't imagine running without a race to prepare for. I think  I was afraid to push myself before because I thought I might fail.  I have had some successes and that has spurred me on to think, "Maybe I really can do this". I feel like my best running is yet to come. I still get a nervous gut ache when I prepare for an important workout like mile repeats or a long run. I think that's also why I like to run, the challenge of overcoming my fears. I'm getting better at not being so nervous before races.

I am by no means an expert on running I just play one on tv. Seriously though, I just needed somewhere to spout my feelings about running and here I am. If you want to spout your feelings about running, feel free. I would love to hear why you run. I came across an article in Running Times by a high school runner, Laura Weisberger, who stated so eloquently why she runs. I just want to copy it and quote it to anyone who asks why I run. Here is the link: http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=26396 So, happy running!