March 2, 2008, Lord willing, I'll be standing at the starting line of the Los Angeles Marathon. Not great timing... Easter's early in 2008, so I'm slipping out at an important time in the life of our church. But the sad reality hit me a couple of months ago- I'd resigned myself to accept that most of my best running was behind me... what a depressing thought. Realizing I needed a big goal to get myself back on track I mentally registered for LA and got to work. I'm up to 40 mile weeks and broke 12 miles on my run this morning- every run alone. That makes it tougher... but it'll stay that way until I'm fit enough and fast enough to run with other folks- I'm still being passed by the aged and infirmed -but little by little, things are improving.
I've run ten or twelve marathons, but LA was my first, March 3, 1991. The poster's framed and still hangs in my office. Ran it once. Running a marathon's not such a big deal- worse case scenario, you sit on the curb and rest. TRAINING for a marathon, now that's a big deal. I spent years of my life staying "marathon ready." Any weekend that came open, I could head out and run a marathon- and I did on occasion. Never qualified for Boston- but never was rushed to the hospital either.
Ran my last marathon 6 years ago... it was horrible and promised I'd never do it again... but I must miss it, more likely it's just been long enough for me to forget how much it can hurt when things don't go well.
Training for my first LA, I was 36, thin and fit. I'd been running for years but was clueless to training. Never read a Runner's World or Running Magazine, had no clue what Race Place or Competitor were and learned about long runs from a friend at a New Years Eve party just 8 weeks before the race- so I started running 15 every Saturday. Just did my daily 7.5 twice. Ran it in a t-shirt and some dolphin shorts my sister gave me for Christmas... I saw overweight guys on the course wearing cut-offs and converse... who passed me, don't know if they finished. My official time was 4:04 - long before timing chips or I learned to wear a watch and mark splits.
My real time was probably 10-15 minutes faster. Started way in the back: 20,000 people back, and grooved to Randy Newman blaring out the speakers as runners jumped in the sunshine to "I Love LA!" Hope they still start with that. Then Mohamad Ali was in the starters box and I moved as closely as I could, HUGE crowd, wanting to see him as the crowd shouted: "Ali!, Ali!" Who knows how long it took before I ever crossed the starting line.
The race was filled with wonders and miracles, barefoot runners and running Elvis's, (who beat me by a mile even though they stopped in every bar on Sunset!), it was all so new. The front half was like a party... and then the work began. It's been said that the marathon doesn't start until mile 20... it's just a 6 mile race... truer words were never spoken. I made it through those final 6 miles- they were filled with enough stories for a book- church choirs singing in the front lawn- best friends slipping out of the crowd to run with me- my sister calling my name at the final turn... and the finish line... Los Angeles Marathon, Where Every Runner's a Star! I was embraced by an older woman, probably 40 or so, who walked me through the lines, put my first ever finishers medal around my neck and told me what a great race I'd run.
I'm going back!
Suddenly I can't wait! New point to point course- I know what that is now and it's my favorite kind of marathon to run. I have a new goal- no longer looking back, now firmly out in front of me. I'm training again. I'm going to run to win- to win my race, one day at a time, one mile at a time... looking forward.
If you've read this far... you're either family, a writer who wonders how this is all going to wrap up, or someone ready to make some big changes, ready to start looking forward, ready to embrace the excitement, fear, adventure and the unexpected the future holds. There are so many ways to go about it but some constants run through them all: set a BIG goal, start training, don't quit. You'll flesh out the fine points as you work through it. Remember, "Reader's are Leaders." Make friends who are stronger and better than you- then stay open to learn from them.
You can do it: GO, DO, BE.
After running my first marathon I wrote a long article on it that was printed in a national magazine- I just might try to dig it up and read through it again. Follow my blog- at the end of this marathon I just might write a book! Our best miles are still ahead of us. Let's run them together.
blessings,
Eric
Listen In to Randy Newman at the song of the day in the side bar
OR... join me for the marathon- just follow the link LA Marathon
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