So why do I marathon?

It may seem like a question I should have answered before my first 26.2, but I don't know if I ever put my reasons into a coherent answer. So let me answer the question: why do I marathon?

I think most boys want to be athletes and I was one of those boys. I played football in my backyard and imagined I was Joe Montana and played catch with my brother imagining I was Dave Winfield saving a home run at Yankee stadium. Problem was, that my talent wasn't really good enough to take me out of my backyard. Sure, I played soccer when I was really young, and I gave it my all, but I think the only reason why I played as much as I did is because it was an "everyone plays" league. While I never admitted it to anyone, I wanted to be an athlete. And I may have been a brain jock in M.U.N., debate and a state champion and in marching band (go Marching Spartans!) it just wasn't the same.

Fast forward a number of years and a couple of average stints on intramural basketball teams later  and I still didn't feel like an athlete. Then in the Spring of 2009 I was sitting on my couch and watching the Biggest Loser- season whatever- and I saw the contestants run a marathon. Sitting there I thought, "well, if they can do this then I should be able to." And so the training began.

Looking back I had no idea what I was doing while I was training for Rochester in the fall of '09, but something began to happen. As I did my training runs and a few smaller races I began to think, "Faster, I know if I train just a bit harder I can go just a bit faster." And that thought turned in to, " How fast can I go in the long run?" For the first time in my life I began to think like a competitive athlete.

Jump slightly ahead to the fall of 2010 and mile 11 of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon... The week before I had run The Montgomery County Parks Half at an "easy pace" and finished in  2:15:xx. As I was crossing the finish I thought, "next week I will go fast(er)!" And a week later I was going fast when I hit mile 11, but then I got tired, and my body hurt, but I pushed on. And you know what, mile 11 was my fastest mile of the day. The non athlete Brian would have slowed down or even walked, but now I pushed  through and finished with a 2:01:58. Now I was an athlete!

And that made me think what can I do in Philly? Could I break 4:30:00? Was there a sub 4:00:00 marathon in my future? I didn't break 4:30:00 yet, but I know I am an athlete because the passion burns to reach both of those goals.

So why do I marathon? Because in the marathon I am an athlete with all of the great things that has brought to my life. But those great things are another post for another day!