That's it. That's all. I have 117 days until the Brooklyn Half Marathon. It sounds like so much time but it feels like none at all. I imagine I am going to feel the same way on race day - the miles stretched out forever in front of me but over in the blink of an eye.
I'm being dramatic, but only slightly. I have never considered myself a runner. In fact, I always considered myself the kind of person who would never be a runner. I liked keeping fit with exercise that kept me seated (read: free wights, barbells, cable machines), sports that included running only incidentally (read: tennis, baseball, badminton) and sports that did not require it at all (read: golf). But about two and a half months ago, I went to cheer on a friend in the New York City marathon. It changed my perspective in far less than 26.2.
The crowds were loud and happy and really into the whole thing. I was astounded. People brought signs. People brought dogs. People brought signs of their dogs! It was the kind of scene that draws a person in immediately. It was something I wanted to be a part of.
Then I thought about all the folks who were streaming by in schools of color and sweat and crushed Gatorade cups. They still had 19 some-odd miles to go. Boy, I thought to myself with a chill, that's too much running for a year let alone one morning. As my friend came into view, he looked transcendent. His excitement became my excitement. I shouted to him, he came striding over for a hug and a picture. His sweat became my sweat; a problem I was only came to realize after we had taken our picture and parted. I realized, for the first time in a long time, I felt totally present. Alive. I needed more.
So, I started running. First, begrudgingly. Then, breathlessly. Now, enjoyably. I am still a total newbie, though I do have a whopping four 5K finisher's medals displayed proudly on my wall at the time of writing. In this brief time, running has gone from something at which I laughed dismissively into an essential part of my health and wellness routine.
Which leads me back to the Brooklyn Half. The escalation from not owning running shoes to registering for my first half marathon went at a sprinter's pace. And I am overjoyed that it did. I plan to take you along for the ride (read: run) through my training and documenting my progress in the lead up to the big day. I hope you'll join me.
See you at the finish line.
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