Too Coincidental

Sunday night when I got out of the bathroom after a relaxing shower/bath I found my husband had left the paper specifically layed out on my side of our bed.  The article title looking back at me was, "The Honorable Clan of the Long-Distance Runner".  I thought this article was a perfect beginning to the week before the Chicago Marathon.  The two author's Amby Burfoot (noted writer for Runner's World and runner who has the whole how to walk/run a marathon down to a fine science) and George Hirsch ( who I didn't recognize the name, but after looking him up he is a story in and of itself).

Side note- George Hirsch is 75 and has a Marathon Best of 2 hours and 38 minutes in 1979 Boston Marathon.  He ran for Congress in 1986, founding publisher of New York Magazine and other running magazines.  He plans to run NYC ING Marathon this year.

O.K. back to article.  The essay talks about what true long distance runners are made of.  There are some great lines in this article/essay I just have to share...

" For true distance runners, to lie about time or distance is to lie to ourselves, to diminish the importance of the many sacrifices we make to reach the starting line."  ...

"There are no shortcuts to marathon success"... "Only 0.5% of the United States population has run a marathon."... 

"Nonrunners often imagine that people can cover 26.2 miles only because they have lean, muscled legs and a highly developed cardiovascular system.  Nothing could b further from the truth. The runner's most important organ, by far is the brain-the source of our dreams, drive and determination."...

Paavo Nurmi (Finnish distance runner) wrote "Mind is everything; muscle, mere pieces of rubber.  All that I am I am because of my mind."
Love that quote!

"Decades ago, Dr. George Sheehan, the philosopher-king of running, often said 'Success rests in having the courage and endurance and, above all, the will to become the person you were destined to be".  

So this article is a keeper in my journal or maybe I should even laminate and put it in a frame reminding me of all that running does mean.  Such poignant timing this article appearing on my pillow the week before I toe the line for Chicago Marathon for the 5th time.

To read this full essay go to:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/sports/essay-the-honorable-clan-of-the-long-distance-runner.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss