What do you mean, All-American?

Well, Texas is a bit of a change from Indiana and Arizona. Lots of space and lots of people. While everyone here has been great and very helpful with the transition I was still feeling a bit on the lonely side. I didn't expect such a change in the running world. Sure, I feel right at home with Trinity, its a college campus and they understand the world I just came from. Plus they rock. But I entered a whole new place, real life. And real life running apparently meant marathons. That is until I read the most recent issue of Texas Runner and Triathlete.

Most of the articles in the beginning of the magazine were leaving me feeling pretty much the same way I have since I got to the great state of Texas. Mostly articles about ultra, trail, triathlon, or marathons dotted the pages and I just shrugged off the disconnect that I usually felt. But then I happened upon an article with a title that made me smile...

In Defense of the Non-Marathoner
-Tim Gargiulo

And Gargiulo's opening quote happened to be on I hear every single day, "So how many marathons have you run?". Uhhh none. Yup. As in ZERO. Nada. Bubkiss. Once I tried to comfort my poor customer who was worried he was being helped by a silly young girl with no running experience by telling him I ran in college and was an eight time All-American. He looked at me like I should be serving him hot dogs instead of tying his new shoes on. All-American? Denied. So my dreams and aspirations from college are hardly understood in the adult real world. Thats really ok. It gives me a new start and a total fresh slate. A newbie again!

But Gargiulo helped my find the root of my feelings of rejection by stating, "In our society, most people are likely to be significantly more impressed by Oprah running just under a 4-and-a-half hour marathon than by just about anybody else running under a 14:00 minute 5k." And then he goes on to laugh about his cynicism. Well, I wasn't laughing! Not that I have run a 14 flat 5k, but I was totally blown away that someone in the adult world was understanding the poor saps like me stuck in the vacuum that is the oval. Track. While Gargiulo was really defending anyone who was doing road races less than 13.1 or 26.2 miles, I took it as a personal defense of track. WHOO HOO!

So refreshing. Now, don't get me wrong, I love hearing about all of the things that people have accomplished with the marathon. People run fast in them. They raise money. Spread awareness. Give hope. Thank goodness for marathons (and halfs!). Gargiulo gives a few feel good stories and examples marathons have brought about and then takes the words right out of my feet, "But even a feel good marathon story like this does not change the fact that the 26.2 mile race is not for everyone, nor should it be." It is like a refreshing ice-bath, pretty startling but sooo good! It is just something in the nature of my feet. They want to stay firmly planted in a left turn direction. When they do happen to explore outside the oval, a 10k is about the limit of their happiness. And my happiness is directly tied to those big old boats in my running shoes.

The only thing I differ from the author about is his final statement. It was something along the lines that just getting out the door and doing your morning trot is what truly makes running special. Or that it is just great that everyone can do all of this. To me, its not the fact that we can get out the door, but much more wonderful than that. What makes running so special is that it gives you a chance to do something you never thought you could do. Every PR, extra step, better breath, and sprint to the finish is usually pushing your body beyond what you thought was possible. Some people do that in marathons. But the same things can happen in a half mile track race and a 10k on the road.

Thanks, Tim, for showing me I am not alone in Texas and the post-collegiate running world!

A pretty easy map to follow!