Forgetting to Remember
As you work up to longer distances, it can be easy to forget what it was like the first time you ran a mile and then a 5k and then a 10k and so on, whether it was in a race or in your backyard.
You get picky about the T-shirts, stashing the cotton ones deep in a drawer. Medals don’t mean as much unless they're different or from some exotic place. Even among new-runner bloggers, eventually the shorter race posts get short shrift to the marathons and ultras and half and full Ironmans. There’s an implicit message that you’ve moved on to bigger and better things.
I used to hold a similar attitude once I began running marathons, but a few people recently reminded me of what I'd already forgotten a few years ago -- that feeling of accomplishment when you push past a new barrier.
Yesterday two of the women that I run with on Saturdays completed their first half marathon. They sent a great photo of everyone wearing similar T-shirts, big smiles and medals at the finish. I’m thinking today, given the difficult course, those smiles may look like winces as they try to get down stairs. I’m also thinking they are still smiling inside.
But that’s not what got me thinking about underappreciated distances.
As I was pulling out of my driveway this morning, I saw a kid bouncing down the street on his way to the bus stop. He was wearing his La Jolla Half medal from yesterday for all of his classmates to see. You could tell he was quite proud of himself. In fact, he was acting like me the first time I returned home a half marathoner.
Congratulations to those who fulfilled a dream this long weekend. That includes all you lucky enough to be in Boston and especially Deborah, Sharon, Angela, Dianne and the kid who lives down the street. Thanks for reminding us all to be proud of what we achieve regardless of how far or how long it takes us to get there.
You get picky about the T-shirts, stashing the cotton ones deep in a drawer. Medals don’t mean as much unless they're different or from some exotic place. Even among new-runner bloggers, eventually the shorter race posts get short shrift to the marathons and ultras and half and full Ironmans. There’s an implicit message that you’ve moved on to bigger and better things.
I used to hold a similar attitude once I began running marathons, but a few people recently reminded me of what I'd already forgotten a few years ago -- that feeling of accomplishment when you push past a new barrier.
Yesterday two of the women that I run with on Saturdays completed their first half marathon. They sent a great photo of everyone wearing similar T-shirts, big smiles and medals at the finish. I’m thinking today, given the difficult course, those smiles may look like winces as they try to get down stairs. I’m also thinking they are still smiling inside.
But that’s not what got me thinking about underappreciated distances.
As I was pulling out of my driveway this morning, I saw a kid bouncing down the street on his way to the bus stop. He was wearing his La Jolla Half medal from yesterday for all of his classmates to see. You could tell he was quite proud of himself. In fact, he was acting like me the first time I returned home a half marathoner.
Congratulations to those who fulfilled a dream this long weekend. That includes all you lucky enough to be in Boston and especially Deborah, Sharon, Angela, Dianne and the kid who lives down the street. Thanks for reminding us all to be proud of what we achieve regardless of how far or how long it takes us to get there.
