The End Revisited

Due to the overwhelming response to the story of my running life, I have decided to never talk about depressing stuff again.  It went over like a lead balloon.  The guy who announced that the Hindenburg crashed, rolled over in his grave and said, " Oh God, the humanity!  That story sucked."  Then he caught on fire.  It was delayed spontaneous combustion, afterlife style.  That is when a dead guy or a zombie catches fire.  Most people don't know anything about this stuff, but I am an amateur psychic so I hear about it.  Edgar Allen Poe contacted me from the great beyond and said, "dude, never write about cancer, cigarettes and running.  That is just too depressing."  My great grandfather contacted me and said, "you are a bloody idiot, could you please change your name."  I also got contacted by Steve Prefontaine once and he told me that I would be a pretty good runner if I could run better.  That one stung. 

I am two days away from the marathon.  I have a mix of excitement and dread.  I don't know if anyone understands why I have trepidation about this.  I guess I know that I can finish, but I don't want to just finish.  I have some time goals.  When you have expectations, you expect stuff.  I wanted a certain time so I can put this marathon thing to bed.  Based on my training and some setbacks, I have lowered my time goal, and although I may be happy if I acheive it on Sunday, it probably won't be fast enough for me not to want to do another one.  You either get this or you don't.  I do know that I am going to give it all I got. 

The experience is going to be awesome.  Friends, running, excitement and the challenge.  I can always picture getting across the finish line.  You have to cross it eventually, right?  Yes.  I am going to wear my ipod.  Some people and races frown upon that.  I can get into a rythm when I run with music.  I am not in a trance.  I know what is going on around me.  Ask people who run with me.  It is when I am blabbering about stuff that I don't know what I am doing.  Blah, blah, blah...car!!  Music gets me into a pace.  It helps me manage my pace.  It helps kill the miles because guess what... I don't enjoy every mile or every run.  Sometimes they flat out suck, but I know that when a song or two is over, I am that much closer to my goal of reaching the finish line.  On Sunday, I would like to time it so Hanson's mmmmbop is playing when I finish.  That way, I can skip across the finish line and high five someone's grandma.  What could be sweeter that Hanson, grandma and a finish line?