Current mood: sore
Yesterday I completed my second half marathon. It's weird to think I've now been crazy enough on not one, but TWO separate occasions to go out and pay an organization to wake up at four o'clock in the morning to run 13.1 miles. What the hell is wrong with me?
I got to thinking about it and I realized it's not about the running-- it's about setting a goal for myself and then accomplishing it. My whole life I've always had a running list (no pun intended) of intentions in my mind I set out to do-- whether it was to get straight A's in school (yes I'm a big nerd), learn how to surf, or get a black belt in karate. I've always set the bar and made sure I finished whatever crazy mess I started.
I remember thinking my senior year of college how it would be cool to complete a half marathon. I started training, but not seriously. Getting to the gym two times a week was a big enough achievement at that time. When I signed up to train for USA Fit last summer, my main motivation was to lose weight. Staying home and not drinking every Friday night for 6 months was a pain in the ass and I hated it. Looking back now, it was all worth it. I admit I wasn't nearly as trained for this half as I was the last, but the discipline I learned in the running program last summer is what helped me get through yesterday. I even shaved off 10 minutes off my time. Not too shabby.
So what's next? Well, the half has been a big enough life check mark for now. I think I'll soak in that one for awhile, or at least until my ankles have recovered. I like telling stories, and when I'm old and gray sitting in my rocking chair, I want to have a ton of them to tell.
Now that I think about it, next on the list is learning how to Scuba Dive. I like fish.
1 comment:
A nice post. A half is quite a deal. It's not 26 miles but 13.1 is still a lot to do for anyone. Gotta have damn good shoes, damn good attitude and be right there. I know about this shit. Believe me. It's always my knees that fuck me up. Even riding in the AIDS ride my kness gave me grief. Tricky little bastards.
Scuba diving is no big deal. You can do better than that. I know fatties and phobics who can scuba dive. PADI members and everything. You should set a bigger goal. You should also be figuring out how you're going to make all this stuff change the world in some way. Runnin' an' swimmin' an' arsin' about is all very well and good if it makes you feel better but you could be saving lives with this. No, really. It's your world, but what you gonna do to save it? And, by Christ, it needs saving. Don't go all Californian on me and just do it 'cos it's there and stuff. Do it for a reason.
Okay, sermon over.
Be great. Well, you're already great. In fact you're super duper. Ain't nothing you can't do. Seriously.
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