I've run one marathon... my first, and probably my only. To ensure the degree of difficulty, it was a trail marathon; complete with hills and valleys, and lots of rocks and roots to stumble on. (As a matter of fact, I full-on face planted twice). But the thing I remember most? The start.
I was extremely nervous and stressed leading up to the beginning of the run. I hadn't trained as I should and had never run an endurance race prior. OK, this is humbling, but the truth is when the starting gun went off... I was in the porta-john. Yep, nerves got the best of me. There I was when I heard the starting gun fire! When I emerged everyone was gone. I mean ghost town! The back of the pack had already rounded a corner and was out of site.
So there I was, nervous, not properly trained, unsure of myself, and now completely alone and a quarter mile behind the last person in the pack. Now, I was not running the marathon to win. I didn't have a goal time in mind. Truth be told, I walked as much as I ran, and my only goal was to finish standing up. And finish I did. I passed many people on my way and nearly sprinted the final three miles; finally stopping to walk the last 20 yards because our CEO (an avid ultra marathoner) said no one walks across the finish. Yes I'm a smart-ass.
And yet, it's not the finish line that sticks out in my memory. It was the beginning - being in the john at the starting gun. That is no way to start.
In a couple hours I'm 50. You can say, "It's just a number." OK, but it's a significant number. Who knows where the finish line is - for any of us. Sure, I thought some things would be different and others more settled by this point. But I'm looking at 50 as a NEW STARTING LINE. And this time I've trained! This time I'm ready. And I'm not in the metaphorical porta-john!!!
So hold the pistol high. Pull the trigger. My shoes are tied, I have my too-short little running shorts on. I'm ready to run. And this time I'm running to win!
For now...
D
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