Another Marathon? Well, Maybe

During our kayak trip, when Kristin mentioned that she was interested in running a marathon this year, I jumped at the opportunity to be her local running buddy. Kristin and I officially started our marathon training this morning! Forcing myself out of bed before the sun was up took me back to my days on Guam when my friend Donna and I came up with the brilliant idea of training for and running the 2004 Marine Corps Marathon. After that race, I promised myself I would do another marathon, to improve what I felt was a lacking time. What I am realizing as I get older, however, is that it is not always the end result that is important. Rather, it is the journey experienced on the way to the finish line that counts.

As I was surfing the web this evening, I came across Working, Playing, Running, which seemed to come at just the right time. Funny how the Universe works. Just when all seems impossible, INSPIRATION strikes - sometimes in the form of someone else's insights. I need some inspiration here, because I am finding that life continues to throw me curve balls, even when my catcher's mitt is not behind the mound. Of late, these curve balls have been in the form of (I hesitate to use the word failed, but...) failed relationships. Failed doesn't seem quite appropriate though because I learned so much from each one. Nevertheless, the end result was just that - an end, and was in no way what I anticipated, expected or wanted when I first started down each relationship path.

So, maybe training for this marathon is a great thing to do right now. I have forged several amazing friendships with past running partners, and Kristin is no exception. It seems like there is magic to the sport. A way to find peace and balance, even when my knees are screaming.

So, I continue on my journey. Trying to find BALANCE amongst chaos, amongst perceived failure, amongst endings and realizing that each ending must give way to a new beginning.