Four years ago I was a pack-a-day smoker. On May 27th, 2008, I finally became disgusted enough with myself that I quit smoking and started running. The following year I ran a half-marathon, and tomorrow I’m running the New York marathon.
I don’t say all that to toot my own horn — tooting one’s horn is unnecessary when discussing the world’s largest moving festival of self-congratulation — because the fact is that I’m a terrible runner. I’m slow, I have to stop and take a shit every three miles, and by the end of even a 5K my inner thighs are a chafed, bloody mess. But the beautiful thing about a marathon is that you don’t have to run it well. And while I’m a shitty runner, I’m good at other things, and here’s a lesson I learned from running that I think is transferrable: If you want to accomplish something that no one thinks you’re capable of, all you have to do is show up and do it.
(If you’re watching the marathon from the street tomorrow, text or call me and let me know where to look for you! 631-834-0289. If you want to track my progress so you can see when I’m coming, you can do so here or on the Marathon’s iPhone app. And if you’re not watching but want to cheer me on verbally, call me between 11AM and 5PM! I’ll be wearing my iPhone headphones, so I can answer calls hands-free, and I won’t turn down the encouragement.)
