The 3 R's: Rest, Relaxation, and... Running?

While my motivation has stayed high, and my eating has been slowly improving, I still wasn't feeling really healthy this weekend, so I took my doctors (and my bosses) advice and took it easy this weekend. Basically, I watched some hockey, slept a lot, got groceries, cleaned, and took a Sunday morning walk with Rachelle.

Along with the rest and relaxation, I mixed in some running. Not running of my own mind you. Rather, I watched the majority of the ING New York City Marathon from the comfort of my couch. My favorite marathoner (Ryan Hall) didn't participate, and last years male winner Meb K-somethingorother was just top ten. On the womens side, an American finished 2nd, and she has the looks and charisma to transcend the sport. Did I mention this was her first ever marathon?

The reason I bring up the running is something I saw at the start of the race. Actually make that "starts" of the race. There were so many people running the race (45,000 regular folks, not counting the pros, celebrities, and sponsor slots) that they broke the start into 3 different waves, 15,000 or so in each, starting I think about 15 minutes apart. They did a starting ceremony for each wave so that to the runners it didn't matter when they went off, it was like they were all getting the same experience.

The part about that experience in particular that made me think was when the gun went off and folks were crossing the starting line; the amount of excitement they showed to be starting a 26.2 mile run sort of boggles my mind. I know I get pumped to do my little 5k's and 10k's, and I've lined up for 3 half-marathons, including one at the end of Timberman 70.3. I've thought more than once about signing up for a marathon, especially after learning I have a cousin (Matt Folk) who is elite at the distance.

But I've come to realize that for me, long runs probably won't ever be met with the kind of joy that so many of the folks showed yesterday. Maybe when I'm skinny and faster it'll be more enjoyable, because the suffering that I do will be closer to the level that people of more normal weights go through in these events. In the end, to me a marathon is just how far I'll have to run to finish an Ironman.

At least for now.

Notes:

- Pardon the mess, but I'm redoing the site layout to get ready for next season. The template on the site today is a temporary one, because the one I want to use was giving me some grief in regards to the color of quoted text. I'm planning on having the site template change completed tonight, and the rest of the usual features of the site back online sometime in the next couple of days along with the 2011 schedule.