First of all I want to thank those of you who are readers of my blog. I am amazed at the number of people who visit and share with me their comments. When I started this blog it began as something silly but has become something much more. For me it has become a way for me to express who I am and what I feel. Things I have never been comfortable sharing before. When I blog, I hope that those of you reading will be able to understand me and I hope that my words can add some value, or some insight that is useful. I am not looking to change the world, but only to change me. If that helps someone else, then I will be happy with that.
I HAVE SOME NEWS:
As many of you know, I enjoy running, and a little over a year ago I ran the San Francisco Half-Marathon. At the time the thought of running 13.1 miles through the streets of San Francisco seemed a challenge almost too much to accomplish for me. I took it on, and I completed my goal. Since that time I have had a desire to run a full marathon and have been training to do so.
I am pleased to announce that I have officially committed for the PF Chang Phoenix Marathon that will take place this January. My training has been going well and I look forward to completing the first of what I hope to be many marathons.
I know many people will question why a human would have the desire to pay money to run 26.2 miles, especially through the streets of Phoenix.
The reason, my reason, was summed up in the book 50/50 by Dean Karnazes, when he explained what it is that drives some people to run marathons. For me it isn’t about winning the race, it’s more about running the race. To me, this is the reason: “Crossing a marathon finish line for the first time is a life-changing moment. In doing it, you prove something to yourself that can never be taken away. You walk away with hard, experiential evidence that you are strong, resilient, and gutsy.” He continues, “Don’t we spend enough time of our lives doubting ourselves, thinking we are not good enough, not strong enough, not made of the right stuff? The marathon gives you an opportunity to tackle these doubts head-on.”
He goes on but I think you get the point. For me, a marathon will not be easy, I know that, and that is what drives me. My reason, or perhaps just one of my reasons, is to prove to myself that I am strong, not just physically but also mentally. To prove to myself that I am resilient and that I can push through the struggles, the hurt and the pain to reach my goal. My reason is to prove to myself that I can reach my goals, if I sacrifice, work hard and keep moving.
I use to think of running a marathon as something crazy, now it seems like the most sane thing I will ever do. Like many choices in my life, it is one I wish I had made long ago, but now is the time for me. I don’t expect to be the first to cross the finish line, but when I do cross the finish line I will be a winner. This marathon is a huge part of the growth that I am longing for in my life. I look forward to the challenge.
I thank all of you for your support and your encouragement. Not just in my running, but in my life. So many times I have thought it too tough to keep moving through life, but knowing that I have the support of so many people pushed me through. Thank you!
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