Day 12: I’m thankful for …
Being a numbers geek.
There are times I get annoyed when people hype up dates (remember the marriage craze from 07/07/07?), but dates like today — 11/12/13 — make me stop and think about how much I love getting into numbers and the discussion of them.
I love weird dates; I love catching patterns; at one time I loved keeping constant track of running mileage for the year. I think I’ll return to that — on a less obsessive scale — in 2014.
Image courtesy of digitalart/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thankful for race weeks
On this day 11 of my “thankful for” posts, I’ve been thinking a lot about race weeks. The nerves, the joys, the what ifs, the extra plate of spaghetti.
I’ve always loved the few days before a race. They’re opportunities to reflect while also anticipating what could happen.
Today I’ve thought a lot about how race week has lost some of its appeal with me in the past year. It was a year ago yesterday that I ran the Richmond Marathon and decided I needed a break. I’ve enjoyed the break of lower mileage and fewer races, but also getting in some great events along the way.
In this month of expressing my thanks, I’m realizing how much I miss racing and big goals. I miss those early week race nerves. I know that a year ago I put too much pressure on myself at the Richmond Marathon. I had to escape the big goals for a while. I think every runner should.
So on day 11, I’m thankful for race weeks and the feelings and emotions they bring on that I never thought were possible. And I hope I get those feelings back really soon.
Day 8: I’m thankful for …
Running.
I’m a little surprised I waited a week for this, but I wanted to make sure I put this out there in a way that makes sense. For the rest of the month, I’ll very likely have many more things to do with running, but for one day I wanted to express my true thanks for the sport.
The running community in the past year has had major ups and downs, but after reading this story about Mike Cassidy and Meb Keflezighi finishing the New York City Marathon together, I’ve never felt prouder to be a runner. While at times we’re all selfish, we’re all in this together. We share the same experiences, no matter how fast or slow we are.
I give thanks for the opportunities that running has given to me, both personally and in many ways in my career (and perhaps future career).
If you’re not a runner and happen to come across this, give it a chance. It’ll change you, one step at a time.
Recent Comments