Looking back it is kind of ironic that Forrest Gump is my favorite movie. Most people can pinpoint a reason or moment in their life when they started running. I have absolutely no reason much like Forrest didn't. One nice day at the end of March I looked outside and decided to strap on my sneakers and go for a run. I wasn't running for world peace, breast cancer, or to change the world, I just felt like running. A few 100 miles later and here I am getting ready to run a Marathon.
Why the Marathon you ask? Here are a few reasons, to test my limits, to see how much pain I could endure, to become as strong as I could, to enhance my sexuality, to experience god, to transcend my body, to let go of fear, to undo my own weak flabby body image, to become the athlete at 29 I couldn’t be at 20, to do something few others would ever come close to, to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, to meet my inner demons, to know what it’s like to plan, complete, and implement a significant project all on my own, to be cool, to figure out how my body works, to see what else was out there, to become a role model, to strengthen my intuition, to find out what they never taught us in school, to learn what it means to say, “I did it because it was there.” There is a little bit of truth in everything I just said, but there are two other main reasons, or should I say people in my life.
The first person would be someone that wouldn't surprise you my mom. As most of you know she passed away two years ago from a bacterial infection to her brain. Sudden, unexpected, and a moment in life when you realize your own mortality exists as well. She always encouraged my siblings and I to do our best as all mothers do and she batted a 1,000 on her children being successful in life. She always gave everything of herself and even more then most people will ever realize. She taught me there are no limits in life and truly inspires me when I am running. When I ran my first 5k she was there, when I hit 6 miles she was there, when I finished my first half-marathon in practice she was there, and when I went for my longest run 17 miles she was there the entire time. In her honor I made a bracelet that reads "Mary - My Guardian Angel," which I will wear on my right arm the entire race.
The second person is someone that most of you have never met. Despite a lot of you knowing me very well you don't know my best friend. His name is Shawn and I have been best friends with him since high school. Shawn was born premature and as a result had altercations with his heart from the onset of life. When Shawn was younger doctors told him he wouldn't live past 20 and live a normal active life. The doctors couldn't have been more wrong. Shawn is the most persistent, active, and successful person I have ever met in my life. Shawn is a guy who follows his dreams when everyone else in the room tells him its impossible. Despite being denied from job after job because of his heart condition he has become a licensed boat Captain and drives 175 foot yachts on the high seas. Growing up fishing with him I have to say he fulfilled his dream. He is the exact opposite of lazy and is always accomplishing some goal or project. Regardless of Shawn's ambition he is unable to run because of his heart. Even running a 5k could result in his death because of the stress it would put on his heart. It is because of all this I run for him when he is unable to. In honor of him I made a bracelet that reads "Captain Shawn - My Blood Brother," which I will wear on my left arm the entire race. I wear it on my left arm because it is closest to my heart and although I have a healthy heart it cannot compare to the inspiration that Shawn provides.
There are many other people who inspire me, but these two people hold a special place in my life. I leave you with one last reason I am running a marathon from my favorite movie, "that day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going." Just remember that you can accomplish anything in life. Start with small goals and eventually those small goals with turn into something awesome.
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