Gobbledygook

More running stuff…
I just got finished reading a book about training for your first marathon. My next door neighbor loaned it to me after I asked her a question about her completion of a marathon last year. It was an interesting read, in that it mostly talked about positive attitude, mental imagery and other tricks to get through tough runs. The book is for first-timers, so speed is unimportant – its more about completing and ‘winning’ in your own mind. I found it to be very helpful on my 6 miler yesterday. I had a hard time getting into my run and didn’t hit my true stride until about the fourth mile. I tried some mental imagery which is very hard to keep focused on for long periods and my mind tends to wander. Here's a peek into Amy's ADD mind…

“A is for awesome, b is for brian, no wait, b is for bustin’ it out this morning. whatever happened to busta rhymes? what was his song? okay c is for, wait have I passed the dead mouse yet? oh man I would freak out if I stepped on him. what if I did? would I scream? what if I wake people up? how embarrassing okay what letter was I on? d is for driven. hell yeah I’m driven, baby. its 5 am. I rock. ooooh, there’s my knee. oh look at the moon – come run with me moon, guide me. sh*t, pothole. if I twist my knee in a damn pothole this far in I am going to cry. wait, positive, positive. okay, driven, I am driven and I AM a half marathoner. I am strong. my body is fluid. spit. ooops, sorry old man, you ran by just in time to hear my loogie. thank god I spit to the outside. wow, he’s got great form. are his damn feet touching the ground? he’s got to be 70. I just got passed by a 70 year old. okay amy, follow, drop your arms like him. hey a helicopter, are they following me as I lead of the boston marathon? there she is ladies and gents – amy, 4 miles ahead in the boston marathon. what a sight."

So, that’s about a half mile’s worth of gibberish. You can see that focus is a bit of a problem for me. Still loving it, though. It’s a fight, but I win almost every time.
Here’s my new favorite running quote:
“People can’t understand why a man runs. They don’t see any sport in it. Argue it lacks the sight and the thrill of body contact. Yet, the conflict is there, more raw and challenging than any man versus man competition. For in running it is man against himself, the cruelest of all opponents. His adversary lies within him, in his ability, with brain and heart to master himself, his emotions and his pain.” – Glenn Cunningham
My other favorite?
“Run like you stole something.”