Regular Person, Real Life Runner

Why do I run? It is a simple yet perfunctorily profound question that most likely could lead to my breaking through and ultimately dominating my own imaginable limits, hitting PRs and BQs, and making the lottery of Western States (my dream race).  The question still goes unanswered though, why do I run?

If you think about it, look at who you are as a person, and really think about it, there is not one answer that is classically defined as right or wrong, there may even be more than one, but once you hear it echoing in your head, you want to keep on asking it, "Why do I run?"

I draw upon inspiration from the story based on real life war hero Louis Zamperini.  I first heard of his great efforts of survival and strength in my monthly issue of Runner's World.  I look forward to seeing these glossy pages grace the inside of my mailbox every month so when I opened up the door and saw it sitting there I was excited.  I flipped through to a cover story I found particularly interesting that was about inspiring individuals that had made a difference in the world through their love of the sport; thereby, impacting the lives of others.  Mr. Zamperini's story caught my attention because at the time of the story's publication he, to me at least, did not seem to look like a runner.

 Once I read his insert and began doing some research about his experience I was wholly in shock and awe!  He went from a trouble making teen who could not speak English, to an Olympic athlete poised to break American barriers, to a soldier, to a prisoner of war, and finally he became a survivor and a living testament to will of the human soul.  I do not know of anyone who could not look at this story of epic resilience and not want to go out there and run with all your heart like he did.  This is a man who could have broken the four minute mark in the mile well before it was done, he had the talent, he had the drive, and he had the skill.  Which leads me to ask a question I would have loved to ask him in person, "Mr. Zamperini, why did you run?"  I feel like reading the biography based on his life could shed some light on the answer (though nothing could do quite as much justice as asking the man himself).  He ran to escape a past that was unbecoming of him, he ran because he was very good at it, he ran for the recognition, and he ran because he knew that he could push himself to be better each day than the previous day.  He was a man who knew that when he won, and when he put American milers on the map at the Berlin Olympics of 1936, it was because he put in the hard work, he gave it everything he had in him, and he achieved goals greater than he ever imagined when he started his running career.  How good does it feel at the end of the day to say to yourself that you gave it everything you had, your best effort? How good does it feel when all that endeavoring culminates in one gloriously epic showdown between you and your mind and your body and the devil on your shoulder telling you that it does not matter, this is just a game?

So, why do you run?  I was inspired to ask myself this question by a short speech famed Academy Award winning actor Matthew McConaughey made to the Texas Longhorns on the practice field one day.  Some of you may not like him or what he stands for, but you cannot argue with the words he is saying and that they are inspiring in helping you get down to the root question, "Why do I run?" You may run for a lot of reasons, but at the end of the day, the only person that it matters you run for is you.  Every year begins a new running season for me, simple as that, January rolls around and it is the start of another running season, a year's worth of races.  This year did not start off as successfully as I had hoped it would and I did not like that I did not do as well as I wanted to.  So as the year went and my results got better and I was more hopeful, things changed and the burnout came, right around the time the seasons change, it happens every year, and I hate it.  I have to drag myself to put on my running shoes and drag myself out the door.  To say that it is deflating is an understatement.  I have two races, two big races, the Marine Corps Marathon and Pinhoti 100, coming up and my dedication is seriously waning and making me question why I run and get out there everyday.  There are some days when it is inevitably terrible,horrible,no good, and very bad.  That for me was two weeks ago, in pursuit of a BQ (Boston Qualifier) and aiming to run 16 miles, I fell and nearly broke my ankle; that ankle still is not feeling right.  I wanted to give up my pursuit of the year's goals.  To me, that is heartbreaking, it hurts to think I cannot do what I want to do, because I have always believed that I could do anything.

I can endure that little bit of pain for a lifetime of greatness, but I did not know why I was still running.  I chalked it up to one bad day and kept going.  I have had a couple of good weeks now and even though I faltered, I know why I run.  Ultimately, I run for me, I run to stay sane, I run to stay healthy, I run because it helps me do my job, I run because it makes me smile, I run because it makes me feel fulfilled, I run to make myself proud (and to make my family proud), but ultimately, it matters most that I run for me.  Everyday I get out there and bust my butt, in the heat and the cold, sleep deprived and well rested, not only because I know I can, but because in each workout I see myself being better that day than the day before.  I am a regular person with irregular goals that I will achieve, I am a real life runner who is here to achieve her athletic dreams.  I can continue to get better everyday till I reach my goals.  I run for me, but I want to hear, why do you run?  Why do you like to do what you do?

"The only easy day was yesterday." - navy seals

"If I can take it, I can make it." -  Louis Zamperini

The Madness of the Long, Long March #runwiththemarines

They did not know if it would work, they only knew it had to work. The men huddled together in the vessel, they were first of their kind, potentially paving the way for a long, rich history, but first this operation had to work. They were ready for an unprecedented amphibious assault to take control Fort Montague and Fort Nassau. No one wanted to disappoint the commander, but any and all doubts were instantly pushed aside as they made landfall, and as quick as it took the Continental Congress to vote to assemble this special branch of the military, they quietly hustled to do their patriotic duty.

200 years later the legendary Colonel Fowler, through his job at HQMC post Vietnam War, was looking for a way to foster positive community relations with the public.  The rise of popularity in running, the big boom of untold proportions that started the masses' love and fascination with distances that would make and break legends, gave Fowler an epic idea. What would happen if there was a marathon to do the duty of showcasing the excellence of one of the most prominent American military branches, while also serving the purpose of recruiting, fostering positive American community goodwill throughout the country, and giving local Marines the chance to qualify for the legendary, and somewhat mythical, Boston Marathon?  He would soon find out, because the idea spread like wildfire, going all the way to the Secretary of the Navy. Year one came and went with unprecedented success for such a long distance race, and with no end in sight, with the future for the race's popularity at the winged fleet feet of the masses. The famous Marine Corps Marathon had begun to set roots in Washington, D.C. and with a parade permit for Year two, along with a beautiful new course, the People's Marathon was going to stay in the city for the unparalleled future.  In years to come, Colonel Fowler's idea exploded in status, grasping the minds of international fame, and drawing attention as the fourth largest marathon in the United States and the ninth largest marathon in the world. Just one note, one memo if you will, got the ball rolling for a marathon of such untold, unprecedented, epic proportions that it would require a lottery for entry, and so, for runners, "March Madess," would begin.

For runners, Christmas comes early, or late, depending on the way you look at it.  The real madness of March does not happen on the court; it happens in their email inboxes as with frenzied anxiety they greet a special March day with an instant email glimpse.  They then continue to hit the refresh button until they could burn a hole through their computers, tablets, and mobile devices looking for that one email.  The one email that opens with a "Congratulations!', and relief washes over them as they relax because they have an "in" to the Marine Corps Marathon.  

The 19th of March dawned like any other, it was a Wednesday and I had a 4:00a wake up call.  My dog needed a walk before I headed to the first client of the day for a training session and I could go ahead and start checking my inbox for my acceptance email from the Marine Corps Marathon. In typical, "I'm a great runner," arrogance  (in my mind I'm a great runner, in reality, haha, believe me there are shortcomings) I thought my marathon experience would get me in no problem and at 4am BAM, my acceptance email would be there and I'd just celebrate the day away.  However, at 4a my acceptance email wasn't there, no bother though, surely by lunch time I would have one, right?  Usually with clients I have a strict no cell phone policy, but I could not help sneaking a peek at my email every few minutes, just in case, because hope was alive and the belief that I would get in was still there. The day wore on though, and no email came, and my hope turned to hopelessness and the bright, sunny belief turned to rain in my soul. 4p rolled around and I scrolled through all the excited "I Got in" Facebook posts, and with my self assurance of recent running failures that had doomed me to a life of race rejections, I lumbered out of the car and onto the Suwanee Creek Greenway for a detox run, only to get very, very lost. Frustrated and not wanting to look stupid I just kept running and eventually turned around at halfway to the distance I wanted to complete that day. Feeling dejected and mulling over the day day, I got lost, I wasn't accepted to my first big city race, I had (what I considered) a recent race failure, I resigned the day to be one of those I would soon forget. Finally finding my way back to my car, I grabbed my water bottle and downed half while cooling down and walking around, kicking up gravel and pretending the tiny rocks were the simple frustrations that were going as far across the parking lot as they could. It was time to put in some volunteer hours and I was late, mainly because I was lost, and I hated being late. If people depend on me to be somewhere on time, I do not want to form the impression that I am "that person" who is constantly wasting others' time by taking her own sweet time.  I buckled my seat belt, and turned the key in the ignition and something in me said, "Just check your credit card statement one more time, what do you have to lose?" For the fifteenth time that day I checked my credit card statement and again, no change, but I curiously checked the temporary authorizations. From zero to sixty my eyed just about bugged out of my head and everyone in the parking lot stared at the screamer.  I bust into my happy imitation of the carlton dance as I leapt out of the car. Not meaning to call attention to myself, but wanting to let the world know, I took to Facebook (& every other social media site I was a member of) to tell friends and family that I WAS IN!!!  I WAS FINALLY IN!!!  I was in, and I was not fast enough to run to win, as much as I wished I was, but I was fast enough to give it everything I have for a shot at qualifying for the Boston Marathon and bringing honor to the ones who fight for our freedoms. The feeling of probable rejection had turned around, as I set my sights on a peak performance for the People's Marathon.

I have run marathons before, but big city marathons are somewhat different in the sense that they draw an adventurous, stimulating, electrifying fanfare to the people that parade down the streets past monuments of glory, creating their own glory in the process. It is an honor to run with the Marines and carry on Colonel Fowler's tradition of helping to foster community goodwill, promoting physical fitness, and showcasing (or watching rather) the expertly executed organizational skills of the United States Marine Corps.  Even though physically I run the Marine Corps marathon alone, mentally and spiritually I will be surrounded by the brave men and women who gave something and everything in the spirit of service and duty to country.

The madness of the long, long march to the Marine Corps Marathon in October has only just begun, and come October I am going to run, run for me, and run for them, but run because I am proud to be an American.
 #runwiththemarines

http://www.marinemarathon.com/

http://www.marinemarathon.com/Register/MCM_Charity_Partners.htm

http://www.marinemarathon.com/MCM_Vault/MCM_History.htm

I got all of the information and did a little bit of research through the Marine Corps Marathon website, please take time to visit it and learn what the race is all about.