Most people start running with a goal in mind. Running was my Everest. I looked at the park. I looked at my feet. Why? Because it's there. Why not? No good answer.
I ran recreationally, usually under 30 minutes and under 5 miles for about a year. Then shit happened.
I started working. I started stressing. The gym killed me. I felt like a rat in a cage and yearned for some fresh air that didn't smell like football players. And I found one thing that helped -- going out, killing my lungs, pounding pavement for an hour after work every day. And a few hours on the weekend. I love putting on some embarrassing jams and rocking out, embarassing soccor moms and almost causing accidents with my ultrashort shorts. I got a killer farmer tan.
And I thought, why not add some purpose to this? Why not set a goal besides "kicking my own ass"? Why not be able to actually have a goal people besides other running masochists can relate to? So I'm setting one.
Boston requires a 3:40 marathon for my age group. I'm projecting right under 4:00 given my current times. I'm shooting for a first marathon in Sept. 2008 and hopefully a qualifier in the winter of 2008/2009, then Boston 2009. If I can do that without killing myself, qualifying for the Olympics is a 2:39. But that's also a 6 minute mile. Insane! Maybe it'll be added to my 25/25 (list of 25 things I'd like to do before I'm 25)
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