I Am A Runner

I am a runner…

I am a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, bitch (depending who you ask) but first and foremost I am a runner. 1992 NYC… I am 23 years old, kind of lost in my job, lost in a lifeless relationship and hopeless what the direction of my life was going to be. I was doing what every other single New Yorker was doing, going to the gym and running on the treadmill, running to nowhere. I happen to notice the man next to me wearing a race t-shirt so I asked him about it.

The flood gates opened, he told me about the New York Road Runners Club. How every weekend you can sign up for a race with other crazy New Yorkers who just enjoy the passion of running. The camaraderie you will feel will be like no other. His passion for the club and running was infectious so I decided, why not .

This was long before the Internet became what it is, I actually had to go to the NYRRC and join in person. I know, who can relate to that idea?

I made that trek in 1993 and In 1994 I ran my first marathon. That was 19 years ag . I have run 5 marathons, countless half marathons and road races and several triathlons.

I have run through rain, snow, hail and sleet. I have run through terrorist attacks and their horrendous aftermath. I have run through break ups, make ups, marriage and divorce (not my own btw). I have run through illness, family drama, life and death. Through every major event in my life or someone close to me, I have run. Running is the one consistent thing in my life that I know I can always count on. Running gives back to me much more than I can ever give to it. Unless you are a runner, you can’t even begin to understand that last statement. Running has given me friends and relationships that I otherwise would not have had.

Only another runner could understand when you say you HAVE to get up in 0 degree weather to do a training run at 4:30 in the morning. Others may say, “You don’t have to, you choose to “. But you see yes, we do because we are runners. Running is in our blood and our DNA, there are very few things that can stop a runner in their tracks, other than a fallen runner. I’ve run countless races where a runner has gone down, always and I mean always do I see others stop running and help their fallen friend. Pr be damned.

We all run for different reasons. Some run to lose weight, some run for charities, and some run for clarity. It doesn’t matter why it just matters that we do it.

On The day of the Boston Marathon, it was a perfect running day, much like that fateful day of September 11. Who knew that such a joyous event would forever be marred by the movements of madmen. As the events of the day unfolded, the whole world watched in horror. I felt like I was punched in the stomach. As a runner I was invested in the marathon because I knew the significance of Boston. I had never run it, but as a runner it was on my bucket list. All those running that day had given up family time, sleep, alcohol,countless things. Some traveled thousands of miles just to say they have now joined a club only a small percentage of people can say they are members of, having run a marathon.

The horrors of that day are still unfolding. We saw humanity at it’s worst but also at its best. But that is what running does, it unites and brings people together on a playing field that is leveled. As I listened and watched on TV and the Internet I waited, I knew the running community would not allow the act of a cruel sick individual deter who we are. We are runners, in the face of adversity we do what we know. We lace up our shoes, do whatever pre-run ritual we have and we go.

I have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow with all of this, I can’t even say in one hour what will be. What I do know is this :

There will always be haters. There will always be heartbreak , sickness and tragedy. But there will also always be goodness, sunshine and hope. I choose to be on the side of goodness. Therefore I will do what I always do.  I too will lace up and go for a run. I will proudly go to the start and hopefully cross that finish line in many more races .. Whether there are 10 runners or 10,00. I will not be deterred in fulfilling a dream due to fear, that’s what evil wants .

I will do this because its who I am.

I am a runner.