My Sport is your Sports Punishment

i love that phrase and it really rings true when other people say things to me like... i can't run, wow...a whole marathon, you ran how far on saturday?

....the list goes on forever, and even Fun Guv starts to eye-roll a little when somebody ask her how long the next marathon will be.

i've noticed that having just one marathon under my belt, gives me a bit of expert opinion (among the non-running masses), when talking with runners nervous about making the jump. For example:

i met a woman who was in Troy for training Saturday. She was staying at the little hotel i bartend at. and as she started talking with another couple, i noticed they were talking about how she runs to stay in shape. She was comfy with a 3-4 mile run, but TNT friends had talked her into training for the Freep/Detroit Marathon. She was real nervous, but hey, the marathon is a couple weeks after Chicago, she's got some time.

So, of course, i offer encouragement. She can do it. She'll have fun. Make this the first marathon, not the last. How to select a training plan, and then trust the plan. We all know the lingo, but....

Not only was she thankful, but having someone with a positive marathon experience really helped her mindset. She had heard about "the wall", the pain, suffering through endless miles of training, but not the joy during the race, running with a cell phone to call loved ones, taking pictures while running, the oneness of a group running together.

The concept of walking through a water break, or even walking while training, was foreign.

In my effort to live a humble, read....christian, life, i have always placed myself at the end of a table and allowed others to place me higher, if merited. As i read other running blogs and occasionally comment, i notice that as community, we all do that to one extent or another.

i've never read a blog entitled; I'm #1, or Eat my Dust.

i have read blogs sincerely asking for encouragement and advise. Sure, there's a little bragging about a PR once in a while, but really it's more of a "thanks for the help" variety. Something "we" all did together.

So where is this little thought headed. Well, like most maybe nowhere.-but i wanted to help friends who read my little corner of blogshere understand why i seem to under-value my abilities as an emerging runner. i can be a very vain person, if unchecked.

Sorry, no funny stuff, no political rants, and no 6 weird things about me (not yet at least), but some stats:

Ran 7 miles yesterday, through some slushy, icy areas, but finished in 1:00:10. i was a little tighter than expected after the long 14 miler on Saturday.

Thanks for reading