...Get the paper. R and I have a weekend routine that consists of eating eggs for breakfast and then walking a few blocks with our dogs to buy a newspaper. Although it would be much cheaper to just subscribe to the paper, we had a bad experience with the delivery person repeatedly missing our house when we first moved in. Several calls to the paper didn't remedy the situation, so we canceled in protest. During the week, R picks it up from a machine at work, but on the weekend we enjoy our walk. Well, a funny thing happened yesterday morning-- runners! Everywhere! We noticed cones delineating a path, then on further inspection found traffic police manning the signals at Anchovy and 25th... Dying of curiosity, I asked what event was taking place. The police officer responded that it was a marathon, half-marathon, and 5K. My curiosity was sufficiently piqued, so the moment we walked in the door with our paper, I got on the internet. It's the Palos Verdes Marathon! Who knew?? One of the oldest marathons in the country, and it takes place in my neighborhood!
I think I'm giong to have to make a goal to run it. Now, mind you, I am NOT a runner. In PE class, I was always one of the fastest on "the mile", and I ran track for a year in highschool, but I was a sprinter. Distance is not my cup of tea. Growing up, my parents did a lot of 10K's, triathlons, and such (and my mom did the Solvang Century on her bicycle), and I feel bad that I ended up becoming such a couch potato. It pains me, it really does. What happened?!
As a teenager/ young adult, I used to always see the ads for the LA Marathon in the newspaper, and I would tell myself, "Someday I'm going to do that." I wanted to run a marathon. In my early twenties I volunteered my EMT skills on the course of an ultramarathon (100 miles) two consecutive years, and that made quite an impression on me as well. Compared with an ultramarathon, surely a standard marathon was within my capabilities.
Well, I had my one go at it- several years ago my mom and I did a USA Fit marathon training program to get into shape. I was living in Whittier at the time and she was in Redondo Beach, but the weekly training was in Huntington Beach and occasionally elsewhere in Orange County. It wasn't exactly convenient for either one of us, but we did it so that we could spend time together. Since we couldn't do our daily runs together, neither of us was all that consistent, but we almost always did the group run. We got into it, buying some of the parapharnalia (shoes of course, as well as fancy fanny pouches that could accomodate a water bottle, and gels). Each of us was living with one of my two grandmothers (both were experiencing health problems and needed assistance) so it was somewhat of an escape. But as the months ticked by, we started to slip on the long runs. The farthest long run we did was the half marathon. When the time came for the actual marathon, we opted to run the half rather than the full. It was a little bit disappointing, but we were glad we didn't quit altogether.
Fast forward a few years, and I developed a knee problem that required two arthroscopic surgeries. It most likely had nothing to do with running, but those months I spent wearing a knee brace and limping around really made an impression upon me. I vowed that when my knee was better I would find a way to be fit, but that I'd never again try to be a runner. Too many runners are plagued by joint problems, and the foretaste I'd had was a major turn off. I still feel that way, though my knee is more or less 100% these days. I own a bike, and I'd love to get into that. I own an expensive pair of inline skates, too. But somehow, nothing is as simple as running. Running is also a lot safer than cycling or skating.
A former coworker of mine does marathons- she's done at least a dozen. She is from Africa, approximately 60 years old and works in the patient transportation department. When she was younger and raising her kids as a single mother, she worked two jobs in EVS at two different medical centers to pay the bills. She is of humble means but has truly found a way to follow her bliss (and to travel) by running marathons. Although I don't work with her directly anymore, I see her from time to time, and I always ask her if she's been in any races lately. She gets a sparkle in her eyes and a lilt in her voice as she regales me with tales of her latest adventure. I admire her for it! She often places for her age group and has almost qualified for Boston. Hopefully she'll have that opportunity! Sometimes when I ask her about her running she tells me that she's going to retire from the full marathon and just do the half, "after one or two more." Spoken like a true running addict! We'll see if she ever stops running the full.
I enjoy living vicariously through my old co-worker, but I have my doubts about trying to run a marathon- because of the implications for my knee, and because I just don't see myself as a runner. The interest just isn't there... Well-- until now! I want to run a marathon in my new hometown! I want to run down the street just blocks from my home! There's something very attractive about that! With a full year before the next race, surely I can develop a training plan or join another training group. And surely just one year of running won't destroy my knee (especially if I lose some weight in the process). Something to think about.
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