The Elbow Chronicles: Boston Marathon inspiration

The Boston Marathon was a couple of weeks ago. I love the Boston Marathon! I grew up watching my dad run and as an adult I find it really inspiring. It's one of the things I missed most (aside from friends and family, of course) while I was in CA.

While I lived in California I was pretty heavily into triathlon. I was always preparing to race or training just to train. I over did it and got really burned out. My last triathlon was in April 2007. For the most part, I don't miss it. It was too much and while I didn't want triathlon to become my life it kind of did anyway. I'm still running and riding my bike in my office (long story) but it's in the name of keeping in shape and mental sanity rather than competition.

Watching any race - bicycling, marathons, triathlons, etc - always messes with me a little. I do miss being part of something larger than myself. I was involved in sports and athletics so long I still find it odd to think of myself as a "former athlete". My competition days are over. My body can't handle it and I get too crazy with the training. But when I watched the Boston Marathon a couple of weeks ago, all those familiar feelings came back in a hurry. I could identify with every one of those athletes. I knew what they went through to get to mile 1 - the training, the sacrifices, the pain and the joy. I knew how they felt during the highs and lows of the race and I knew what they'd feel as they crossed the finish line. And I missed it.

I'm toying with running a 5k this summer just "for fun". Unfortunately I can't do any racing just "for fun" but it has always been a dream to run a race along the Charles River and I feel like I should give it a go while I am still physically able and while I still have the time. We'll see.