The Thing About a Marathon

There is a certain someone in our lives that I think has let the idea of a marathon slide from the “No way in H*$$ I’ll ever do that” to “I’m pretty darn sure I will never ever do that.” And let me just say – “Baby steps, my friend, baby steps.”

The thing about a marathon is that anyone can do one. No matter how many excuses you may have – and I am sure they are all good ones – the real truth of it is that anyone can do one. But once you commit, even ever so slightly, you do have to deal with the fact that you may not finish. And I suspect that is why so many people don’t even try. Fear of failure.

OK so I am not convincing anyone to run out and get started but here is the truth about things we think are too difficult:

“A League of Their Own”
Dottie Hinson: It just got too hard.
Jimmy Dugan: It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great.

And that’s the thing about marathons – it may be the hardest thing you do and it could also be the greatest thing you do. You just have to take that chance.

In light of that little pep talk – I’m in the doldrums – yep no wind in my sails – I am stalled out in the middle of the ocean – no wind to move me forward, no wind to move me back. Just sitting here listening to the water lap against the side of the boat Even the seagulls mock me.

I’m chugging out my weekday runs but it’s not clicking. So it might seem odd to you that I’m thinking about doing another marathon. The thing is – I have the pictures and I vaguely remember the finish line but I am pretty sure that in fact I didn’t actually run 26.2 miles.