On the road again. [4 miles]
- 4 miles. Gloriously manageable distance.
- Somewhere in between 39 and 42 minutes. Didn’t keep time…and I’m glad.
- Tune of choice: None! So much better to run with friends and talk about life!
- Dog poop count: 1 (technically two pieces… but looked to be from one source.)
- # of times almost run over by car: 1 (a record low!) Feels good to be alive : )
Inspiration
As a repeat runner, I’ve wondered quite a bit how I’ll ever be able to re-motivate myself this year. After such a magical experience a year ago, how could I possibly find the inspiration I once had? And here I was – 7AM on a Saturday, driving a familiar route (no GPS required) into Newton Center, joining my teammates – some old and some new – for our first training week. Strangers meeting. Smiling. Ready. And THERE it was.
Inspiration.
In the face of my coach, who has trained more than 15,000 runners and seen only 2 of them fail to finish.
In my friend Kate, who runs Boston again after being sidelined in a marathon just a couple months ago- a marathon in which she’d already completed 17 miles. She is just now getting over her injury. A disheartening blow, yet here she is again.
In a former teammate, who does not run this year, but who joined us to relive the experience.”My goal was to finish in the same day, ” he joked. “The only person I trailed on Boylston was the street cleaner… but I finished.”
In a new teammate, a marine, who is just back from active duty and runs for the Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, a program that helped him as a kid.
Charity runners are a special breed. They train selflessly. They train to give hope. They train to give opportunity.
What was I thinking? There is inspiration all around me.
So with that in mind, I surge forward. Looking to accomplish my goal of finishing under 5 hours, inspired by all the amazing people who will be with me the entire way.
See ya next week!
I love this post! There truly is inspiration all around us if we just take the time to see it. I’m looking forward to another marathon experience with you!
Your Coach,
Rick