Posts Tagged With: train for marathon

This morning, I got to do something that I never thought possible until just a few years ago – I applied for the 2014 Boston Marathon.  While this evokes a HUGE amount of emotion for me that can only be described as bittersweet, I’m really thankful I was able to achieve my goal. Yes, it’s just the gateway to the true and ultimate goal of running the Boston Marathon, but really, it’s something that I never thought possible and I know that many people have never been able to reach that goal.  I’m very proud of my 3:43:18 in the rainy, windy, and cold Houston Marathon in January. That’s the sweet part.

I’m very proud to be able to even fill this entry out.

I won’t find out until Friday at the absolute earliest if I’m accepted. There’s approximately 5,000 spaces open and well more than 5,000 runners who will be applying. The fastest runners will be accepted until it is full.  All the times of registrants must be verified before registration can be completed, so that’s a lot of applications to verify!  In the meantime, I’ll fill my time with training, cleaning my house, and all those other things that I do to distract myself. So what if I don’t get in because it filled up? That’s the bitter part.  I’ll probably be really upset, cry, and may even throw myself a little pity party. Heck, it might even be a huge weekend pity party. Once the party winds down, I’ll put my running shoes on and get back to work. I’ve come to terms with not getting in and the probability of it has been the same since the day I qualified: either I will get in or I won’t. It’s very simple. There’s no amount of fussing or worrying or obsessing that will change the outcome, so I might as well fill my time with other things.

The entire process has taught me a lot of patience, perseverance, and well, just doing what you can and leaving the rest to God. I’m better for it. And I want to do it all over again.  I have 18 weeks until the next Houston Marathon and I’m a month and a half into training already. I am dreaming big and already have goals well past this Boston thing. While I’m dreaming, I’m just doing what I can to make my dreams a reality.