Tough start to yesterdays 21 miles....I felt like junk and was exhausted from a long and busy few weeks. I knew I had to take it slow and by the mile 6 water stop coach Rick asked how I was doing and I answered honestly.....awful! A half mile later he drove by and yelled run like youre from Southie. Ive left so much of South Boston behind me I sometimes forget what its like to be from there.....especially since Im a blue collar yuppie living in Newton who shops at Whole Foods, tries t eat clean, does yoga & CrossFit and isnt slamming down Sullys & Sals everyday.... never mind all the other stuff Ive happily left behind. So I mentally put on my turtle neck & Champion, turned my Barracuda inside out, pegged my pants, pulled my laces tight on my gazelles and went to it! I pushed through, got to run with some coalition friends along the way and my spirits lifted. I dug deep into....here we go Southie... here we go…. and thought about all the Southie Pride that was instilled into me as a kid. We stuck together, never left someone behind, we were strong…..and you always had to do your best or you would get tortured by your friends. I was never as strong as many of my friends, but I was always there and so were they. I eventually tuned to old school rap on pandora ....so naturally I mentally tucked my ears in my flat brim, grew a chin strap and slammed down an iced P.S. Special....I didnt want to do it, but let me tell you I ran every bit of the hills of Newton and didnt stop once. I took the first 15 miles as planned….slow….and had the juice for Heartbreak Hill and I ran my heart out. My friend Lisa helped me through most of it too. As I joke I can honestly say that Ive been through some serious stuff in my life growing up in South Boston and at this point it has made me a great man. Nothing is waisted if it is channeled towards the best of all concerned. For almost 17 years Ive lived a life that has been grounded in service to others.....and believe me its because so many were of service to me, helping me bring about the necessary change in my life to make it one worth living. I owe a lot and try my best to give back and this Boston Marathon journey has been one of the hardest joys Ive experienced. My family has sacrificed so much as well. My wife has had to pick up all the family responsibilities while I train and recover from training…..read: whining on the couch…. and my daughter misses her dad when hes gone for 4-8 hours on a satruday morning and out a few nights a week. But, I know that nothing is waisted and it is for the best of all concerned. The impact of someone being absent for healthy reasons does not have the same as the impact of negative ones. Im happy to have shared this journey with you and have been blessed with so much support, encouragement and inspiration…..and now…..I look forward to the taper and the ability to show up on April 21st knowing Ive done my best to be on that starting line. The starting line is my true destination, the finish line is just the result of what happends from there.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 15:39:31 +0000