I've never liked running.
To be honest, running was always the punishment. In football practice: "If you guys don't start tackling harder you're going to run!" In the beginning of the lacrosse season, coach made us jog nearly three miles in our pads and helmets. THREE MILES! Yup, I survived.
I remember during two-a-days during football seeing the cross country guys go for miles in the summer heat and thinking "It could be worse... at least I'm not running!" I probably laughed a little.
Turns out, the joke's on me.
My feeling is that there are two types of people running with Team World Vision.
The Marathoners. Purportedly these folks enjoy running. You can easily spot them on the lake front: they are skinny and they smile while they run. Along with finishing the marathon, they have some sort of time goal. The marathoners on Team World Vision made an awesome decision to make their past times even more meaningful, by running to change lives in Africa.
The (fake) Marathoners. Here I am! I printed off a pre-training guide and stuck to it for almost four whole days. I sometimes wonder if I could just raise money for the cause, and skip the marathon part. I love the cause. I am humbled by it. Honestly now, how much can I complain about how sore I might be... I eat three meals a day (sometimes four), I have a place to sleep and clean water whenever I need it. I signed up to run for communities in Africa - If I accidentally get in shape that will be a total bonus!
The more I've started running, the more I love the idea of overcoming this obstacle. How many people do you meet who say someday I'm going to run the marathon. When Chitwood first started talking to me about running Chicago, that was my response.. "Sounds great - someday I totally will." Never underestimate Michael Chitwood's ability to convincing someone to run a marathon.
The commercials for the Boston Marathon have an awesome line: "Because once in a lifetime only happens once a year."
This is my year.
Maybe someday I'll be a real marathoner... Or maybe not. Ask me in 18 weeks. :)
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I have the shrinkwrap-fitting, obnoxiously bright running jersey. I have the ultra light weight wrap around running sunglasses, the custom fit Nike Bowermans, and I've even run with Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall. I'm all signed up with Team World Vision for the 2008 Chicago Marathon... but that's pretty much all the training I've done. Stay tuned - this will be interesting.
2 comments:
Give it time, and we'll make a MARATHONER out of you yet! There is no better cause (at least in my book) than to push oneself, to sacrifice, for the good of another.
Kyle you'll do just fine, and the awareness and support you bring to WV will be AWESOME.
I like it, I'm fake biking across america so I totally know where you're coming from. have fun faking it!
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