Running A Marathon

Running has always been a punishment for me. Point blank. Period.

Whether it was my AAU coach sending us to the baseline for suicides, my football coach sending us behind the field for hills or my NYU coach sending us up to the track for conditioning, me and running have never gotten along.

Honestly, I don't know whether this is a picture of a mass execution or the start of a marathon

.

I understand the importance of being in good shape, and also what kind of difference good cardiovascular health makes, but that's why I've invested a lot of time in my jumprope. Having said all of that, I'm still an athlete and get to compete everyday. But what happens when my playing days are finished? Where do I go for that taste of competition that I love so much? I'm not sure where I will find it when that day comes, but I promise you it will not be this thing -->

It was brought to my attention by "Team Smith" (my girlfriend and her college tennis teammate) that when athletes finish their playing days they still need competition. "Okay"...so join a women's tennis league or a raquetball club. That'd be much more fun than running around a track or through a borough wouldn't it?

As soon as I learned that they don't do this because it's fun, but rather because it's a challenge, I can give them my full backing/blessing. Before I knew that, I swore they were going crazy. Just like all cross-country runners. Although I worked an NYU XC meet and saw some people's will to finish a race impress me like none other. Shout outs to my NYU XC people.

Anyway, back to these "former atheletes"...Holly and Meggie Smith (no relation) are heading out to Flushing today to run the New York Road Runners Half Marathon Gran Prix Presented By Continental Airlines: Queens

This is the description from the website..."The view from MacNeil Park, a nub of land poking out into Long Island Sound, is just one of many attractions you’ll pass during this fourth race of the Grand Prix series. Be greeted by the residents of College Point, Malba, Whitestone, and Beechhurst as you cruise through the streets of New York City's largest and most diverse borough"...sorry you're going to have to do better than that to inspire me.

So ladies, this blog is for you Hopefully you got up out of bed early enough to read this before you left...but you'll do great. I know it. And how do I know? Because Holly, if you don't finish, you can't come visit. And Meggie, if you don't finish, you don't get an MEG Gottingen sweatshirt. And I want them both in under 2:15 too.

How is that for motivation? 

Do What You Do      Hallelujah Hollaback      ...blackhercules21...

"If it make you feel better, picture me over and done with
Punk bitch, come with all the gossip you can come with
Small thang to a giant, I can overcome this
If God with me, who could be against me sucka?
Can't make me suffer, just make me tougher"

--TI- Moviation