Nothing Left To Do But Run

Here we are. Race weekend is upon us, nervous energy is aplenty, and it's officially go time.

It's amazing how much time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears you spend over an extended period of time for an event that lasts only a few hours. Four-plus months of running, strengthening, stretching, icing, through the heat, through the wind, through the snow, through the ice, through training highs and training lows, through long (seemingly never-ending) runs to sprints to hill repeats. All that hard work, that dedication, that sacrifice, for a few hours' worth of experience - and a painful few hours, at that.

Almost all runners are Type A, or at least have Type A tendencies - we control every possible thing that we can control, and the rest is up to the marathon gods. So, in an effort to help us all out on race day, I've written up a little marathon prayer for all my loves:

Dear marathon gods,

Thank you for blessing us with these vessels through which we take on this monumental endeavor. We know that not everyone is fortunate enough or physically well enough to be able to take part in marathoning, and we realize that this is a privilege to be out there. Please be with us as we take on our 26.2 miles. Help us to be smart, take care of ourselves, and stick to our race plans. Give us the confidence to know that we can do this, and when the race gets tough, smack us in the face with that confidence - and smack us HARD.

Help us to remember that we chose to do this (and some of us even paid a lot of money to do this); this is a choice, this is something we want to do.  Help us to have strong legs, and even stronger heads and hearts. We pray for no leg cramps for Jimmy this time around. When we hit the wall, help us to climb over it, army-barrack style, with no mercy. And when we hit a bad mental space, when we seriously question what the hell we're doing out there, help us to remember that this is about so much more than a marathon. We often joke when we're going for an easier workout that "we're not trying to change the world today." On race day, we ARE actually changing the world. Help us to remember that we are heroes in our own right, and help us keep those we run for at the forefront of our minds.

God bless Grandpa, and all the good he has instilled in me, all the lessons he has taught me, all the gifts he has given me, and help me fulfill my promise to him to never give up. Help me to make him proud. God bless everyone else who we have lost to this insidious disease, help us to feel their spirit with every step, and to feel the spirit of those who continue the fight here on earth.

Help us to remember how many people we have pushing for us - friends, family, co-workers, boyfriends, girlfriends, acquaintances, stalkers, one night stands, classmates. We are no doubt a summation of their love, support, and generosity, both of wallet and of soul. We would not have gotten to the startling line without them. Help us all to make them proud too.

And if you could throw in even the gentlest tailwind, that would be fucking sweet.

Amen.
- Your NYC TNT Marathoners