Run to live

If someone had told me way back that i'd be running marathons, i'd say only the crazy ones do it...but here i am crazy today coz last year marked my 10th Honolulu Marathon completed thus far. Marathons dont happen overnite....it takes lots of training and discipline to get up for those early morning runs and willpower to overcome the fear of not finishing (unless you're from Kenya or Africa where you're born to run and expected to win!) A big cup of coffee always helps too before any run for me.....My very first one was recorded at 7:30 hours. Despite the physical pain and anguish not to mention lots of blisters, i vowed to do it again the following year and the rest is history! Cant imagine running w/out my ipod though...i remember owning only a radio in those early marathon years. My ipod has become my bestfriend and i am usually listening to my favorite Christian artists such as Chris Tomlin or the David Crowder band to name a few. Anybody who has done a marathon will tell you about this invisible "wall" that they face at some point during the race. It's when your will to go on is greatly challenged by strong physical pain and discomfort. Often times it could be the 20th or 22nd mile mark. For me, it's usually the 23rd mile mark where not even the beautiful million dollar homes along Kahala Ave inspire me to take one foot infront of the other. As i search around me or to my ipod music to give me hope and motivation i find myself daydreaming that 45 more minutes or so, i'll be holding the prize---a finisher's T-shirt waiting for me at the end. At this point, no joke, i'm reminded of the poem "Footprints" and become desperate, praising my God for 'carrying' me thru the entire race. Corny, i know, but somehow my strength is renewed. Pride and accomplishment takes over the pain, discomfort, blisters, muscle aches as i take the last step accross the finish line. They're there but it's only temporary. What lasts longer or at least until the next race is the joy of accomplishing something big for an ordinary, non-Kenyan, slow runner like me. It is the reason i sign up year after year after year one step at a time....

My next challenge? a mini triathlon? Nah, but i can dream, can't i?