Targets

In the long run, men only hit what they aim at. ~Henry David Thoreau

I've got a target, and I intend to hit it! This morning I ran (jogged/walked) at 12:53 mile on my third mile today, so it's starting to look like my goal time of 2:50 for the half marathon is possible!

I also learned yesterday what an amazing network the Team in Training group is. I've got a friend who encouraged me to participate now offering to share my fundraising link with her network of former TNT participants and coaches. Awesome!

One of my students (a marathoner) posted this:

Winning has nothing to do with racing. Most days don't have races anyway. Winning is about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up. ~Amby Burfoot. 

I had to look up who Amby Burfoot is, but I loved the quote. Turns out he won the Boston Marathon in 1968. I know I'm never going to do something like that, but I certainly appreciate the sentiment!

Fearless

Today's training run was odd for me. I think it started with filling out the registration paperwork for the half-marathon. One of the questions was, "I race to be...." I entered "fearless".

Of course, that's the phrase I use to describe Anita. I always got such a kick out of the way she just jumped in and tried things. Then laughed at herself when the results weren't stellar, or became self-deprecating when the results were. So writing that word made me think of Anita, and I spent a lot of time on my run thinking of her. And thinking that she would have really gotten a kick out of me doing this. I found it a little overwhelming, particularly as I reached the end of the run and there were all of the placards up for the people we are running in memory of or in honor of.

I'm not fearless. But I refuse to let fear dictate what I do. I'm a heavy middle-aged introvert who hates to ask for help, so what better challenge in my life right now than to raise a substantial amount of money from friends, acquaintances and strangers, by running a half-marathon? Watching the Olympics today I saw this commercial. I hope it speaks to you the way it does to me.