There is no doubt in my mind that marathon runners are awesome.
The physical stamina and mental determination needed to accomplish such a thing easily qualify a person as very seriously awesome. Even the slowest marathon runners gain a sort of amazing glow in the eyes of lesser men such as myself.
I don’t believe I will ever run a marathon.
I will, however, run another half marathon. I’ve already signed up for the Med City Half Marathon, and my training has already begun. It isn’t serious training yet. It’s not more than a couple times a week, and it’s not very far or fast. My goal right now is to be in decent shape for when my training really does start.
This time around I will be following a real training schedule. Last time my goal was to complete the half at any speed, but this time my quest is for certain numbers. With a pile of training and some serious luck I think I might be able to score a shamefully slow 2:30, right alongside some of the best full marathon runners. It’s not much, but I like to keep my goals somewhat realistic.
Running is a good fit for me right now. It gets me the exercise I need without ruining my back. My brain kicks into overdrive when I run, allowing me to write loads more than if I just sat around like a lump. Also, running fits nicely into my somewhat busy schedule.
I used to think runners were nuts.
I still do.
However, if marathon runners are awesome, then half marathon runners must be half awesome. That’s something I’d like to be. That’s something I’m willing to work for.
Yep. Runners are nuts.