After this weekend's Chicago Marathon Debacle and Jenny's accident more than a month ago I have been getting increasingly philosophical. Runners by trait are obsessive. We rarely fail to accomplish our goals, be it weekly mileage, intervals, or a race. We tend to be controlling as well. You have to be a little "Gordon Ramsey" in order to accomplish your goals so unflappably. This weekends marathon presented an element beyond any ones control; intense heat. Most of us are Die-hard, "I ain't stoppin fo nobody and no reason" types. However among the (nearly half) competitors to either not start or not finish were some of my dear friends. They are healing their emotional wounds now, but man were they pissy just afterwards. Everyone's log on athleticore says the same thing; I felt like a "quitter", "Wimp", "pansy". This was said by both finishers and non finishers alike! Man are we runner's hard on ourselves. What it boils down to in my mind is this:
The Marathon is a race run in admiration, almost to the extent of worshiping the following qualities; perseverance, determination, mental toughness, guts, and grit. Hell, the whole race is based on the story of the Roman soldier who ran as fast has he could for 26.2 miles to deliver a message of victory. How romantic, and don't we all want to be that hard ass messenger. We all have so many unpleasant things in our lives that we can't control, that make us feel weak. This race is our way to prove ourselves to ourselves (and our families) as true warriors. So, to not finish one after starting proves the opposite. It makes us feel vulnerable and weak.
"Real" runners have begun trying to see just how fast they can cover the distance. This brings a whole other element to the race. If you push the pace from the beginning the more vulnerable you become to outside factors that you cannot control. See, if you go out to PR in scorching heat, you aren't going to last long. Believe it or not our bodies have limits, remember the original runner did freakin die, and they are made more acute by any unpleasantry mother nature cooks up. Not finishing doesn't make you a failure, it means that perhaps you have become a real runner, some one no longer enticed purely by the romantic ideals of the marathon. You are now trying to push your personal limits, not prove your ability to meet a manufactured ideal of greatness. It could still mean you are a complete pussy. I don't want to give any posers the idea that they are legitimate. If a real runner still can finish in the "spirit" of the marathon that's awesome. It is the ultimate. On a personal level, the marathon for me is still about overcoming adversities. Who knows, after I've completed several that may change.
As for Jenny Crain, she is now endlessly on the course. Her marathon is on-going. Her race is much more difficult than Sunday's Chicago Marathon, and much much longer. Each time I visit her site I well up. It must be so frustrating to not be able to float on the pavement. Let's not forget how small our lives are. We are vulnerable, all of us. It's truly what we do each moment that defines our lives for us. Screw everyone elses opinion. Each of us is a speck in the Universe. In the end we are the only ones who have to live with our choices. Make each second eternal. Make each race memorable (one way or another); each run a deliverance from our selves. Refuse to be ordinary. Whatever you do, DON'T SIT STILL!
The Marathon is a race run in admiration, almost to the extent of worshiping the following qualities; perseverance, determination, mental toughness, guts, and grit. Hell, the whole race is based on the story of the Roman soldier who ran as fast has he could for 26.2 miles to deliver a message of victory. How romantic, and don't we all want to be that hard ass messenger. We all have so many unpleasant things in our lives that we can't control, that make us feel weak. This race is our way to prove ourselves to ourselves (and our families) as true warriors. So, to not finish one after starting proves the opposite. It makes us feel vulnerable and weak.
"Real" runners have begun trying to see just how fast they can cover the distance. This brings a whole other element to the race. If you push the pace from the beginning the more vulnerable you become to outside factors that you cannot control. See, if you go out to PR in scorching heat, you aren't going to last long. Believe it or not our bodies have limits, remember the original runner did freakin die, and they are made more acute by any unpleasantry mother nature cooks up. Not finishing doesn't make you a failure, it means that perhaps you have become a real runner, some one no longer enticed purely by the romantic ideals of the marathon. You are now trying to push your personal limits, not prove your ability to meet a manufactured ideal of greatness. It could still mean you are a complete pussy. I don't want to give any posers the idea that they are legitimate. If a real runner still can finish in the "spirit" of the marathon that's awesome. It is the ultimate. On a personal level, the marathon for me is still about overcoming adversities. Who knows, after I've completed several that may change.
As for Jenny Crain, she is now endlessly on the course. Her marathon is on-going. Her race is much more difficult than Sunday's Chicago Marathon, and much much longer. Each time I visit her site I well up. It must be so frustrating to not be able to float on the pavement. Let's not forget how small our lives are. We are vulnerable, all of us. It's truly what we do each moment that defines our lives for us. Screw everyone elses opinion. Each of us is a speck in the Universe. In the end we are the only ones who have to live with our choices. Make each second eternal. Make each race memorable (one way or another); each run a deliverance from our selves. Refuse to be ordinary. Whatever you do, DON'T SIT STILL!
