So Lance Armstrong, sports super-hero runs the New York Marathon. I was following his story closely because for me it was interesting to try to guess how he would finish. He finished a little better than I thought he would, and I only say that because I know he really hasn’t been training for it that long. I knew he is an AMAZING athlete though… and I couldn’t wait to see how he did and what he felt about it. I think he is a pretty cool dude too.
He finished in under 3 hours, which is remarkable, but what worries me is that in order for me to qualify for Boston I’d have to finish in 3:20. LOL. On one hand you have super-athlete at 3 hours, on the other you have super-coach potato with an affinity for IPA and Christmas beers. What am I thinking?!
I can’t help but laugh at myself. Now… don’t get me wrong… I will be laughing all the way while trying… I’m not giving up, but my sanity (what little is left) also knows that it might be stretching the limits of the physical universe for me to qualify for Boston… I mean… the space time continuum would have to warp, OJ would have to go to jail… dogs and cats living together and all that stuff. Somewhere along the line my Boston dream might disappear with all those free-spirited people who dress up in costumes to run a marathon. (Like it isn’t hard enough without being stepped in a Darth Vader mask trailing a cape and in storm trooper boots) They start and then somewhere along the way… quietly… they just fade away. I don't know much about running, but I do know this, you see a lot more people in costumes at the starting line, than the finish line.
So he runs it… and does great. Then what does he say?
“that was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done” Lance Armstrong
From http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/sport_sto1002235.shtml
WONDERFUL. That is just peachy. I had a kidney stone once and seriously thought of killing myself to end the pain. Unfortuntely (or not?) I was on a prop plane flying from Fairbanks Alaska, to Arkansas. I imagine the marathon might be worse, given all the Lance has been through.
I can just hope this quote holds true for me. It may be my only hope.
“At mile 20 I thought I was dead/ At mile 22 I wished I was dead/ At mile 24 I knew I was dead/ At mile 26.2 I realized I had become too tough to kill”
-Author Unknown
I found that quote at Running Cuckoo's marathon blog. Check it out http://runningcuckoo.blogspot.com/
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