But the fluctuations…

But the fluctuations…

Sunday morning, we woke to heavy rains. With the sunrise, the rain dwindled, then stopped and left humid, heavy air. As my friend and I started the Steamtown Marathon, which begins with a descent through several small Pennsylvania towns, we felt the weight of the...
When Quitting Is Not an Option

When Quitting Is Not an Option

Days before my second marathon, a well-meaning friend said, “If you can’t finish, go as far as you can.” I laughed and gently told her “I’ll finish. Quitting is not an option.” Nearly everyone who enters a marathon enters with the...
Stretching Stretches Me

Stretching Stretches Me

I’ve been running, although not always consistently, for more than 22 years. Among the good running habits I’ve failed to consistently practice: stretching. I’m not sure why I’ve never had a stretching regimen. I wasn’t a high school or...
Committed People Do Crazy Things

Committed People Do Crazy Things

I’m training for my second marathon. The idea has been in my mind all summer but I didn’t commit until a few days ago. Before that, I was hedging, training for the marathon but reserving the possibility that I would switch to a half marathon distance race...