The Hardest Step...

"The hardest step for a runner to take is the first one out the door." - Ron Clarke, world record holder in the marathon in the 1960's

Ain't that the truth! Especially when you live in Boston, and you are training during the beautiful winters we have up here in New England --- cold, windy, icy, dark --- and to make matters worse, you don't actually consider yourself a "runner," yet you have to run a marathon in 3 months! Darn it. Why do I get myself involved with these things?

For those of you who know me, you know that I have always been anything but a "runner." Basketball? Bring it. Soccer? Love it. Spinning? Sure. Golf? I'll try it. Running? HELL NO! I still have nightmares about the 1.5 mile running test in the Plex during BC basketball preseason workouts, and the never-ending suicides that me and Kim Beezer had to run during freshman year.....(sorry Kim, definitely my fault). Well, I guess I've changed my tune over the last couple of years, thanks in large part to my friend Laurie. For those of you who don't know Laurie, this year's marathon will mark her 10th Boston Marathon and her 15th overall marathon. Not too shabby for a Stonehill soccer player, eh? Her discipline and success in this sport are contagious, and the rest of us mere mortals can only admire how she goes about her training in a quiet yet highly intense manner -- and, oh by the way, she actually ENJOYS this crap! CRAZY! So, here I am -- a few years later, after watching and admiring her from the sidelines on Marathon Monday, beer(s) always in hand (sometimes both hands), with my BC faithful --- attempting to run my second marathon. And run it well. Oh yeah, and I'm trying to actually keep up with her on training runs... no small task.

A day in the life of trying to keep up with the Running Nazi.... Picture this: four hours ago, today. We meet each other in the BC locker room to change and get a run in.

aimee: "so, laurie, what are you thinking in terms of mileage today?"
laurie: "firehouse."
(this is code for a 9 mile run, up/down/up/down/up/down the hills of Newton --- and back again in the opposite direction)
aimee: "oh. really."
(long pause)
(damn, is she serious? my legs are still hurting me from Sunday's long run)
(she's a friggin mad woman. tell me again why I agreed to run with her today?)
aimee: "actually, Laurie, the training schedule only calls for a 4 to 6-miler today....so, I was thinking of going shorter.....ya know....shorter than 9."
(another long pause and a major glare from her in my direction)
(glare, glare, glare)
aimee: "um... so.... I guess you wanted to do more than 4 to 6 today? um..... ok. yeah. I guess we can do 9 miles today. I mean, my legs are hurting a bit, but I guess we can do 9."
(UGH!!! I hate her! hate her! did I mention that I hate her??!!!!!)
(if looks could kill! stop looking at me like that!)
aimee: "ok, let's do 9."

(we did 9. and did it well.)

The reason I tell you this story? Whatever Laurie says when it comes to running, goes. And whatever she tells me about running is Bible to me. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but I'm thinking that it's a good thing. I hope. Fingers crossed.

One last example. I'm looking back at my 2006 marathon training log/journal. Here is my entry from the week of February 6th, 7th and 8th of that year. ".....lots of negativity...need to push through....terrible week....took two days off from working out because I am overtired and need a mental break from this crap...." And then --- there it is --- the very next day, I went on a 9 mile run with Laurie, and here is my next entry in all CAPS: "A CRITICAL RUN TODAY. WAS VERY NEGATIVE THIS WEEK. AS LAURIE PUT IT TO ME SQUARE BETWEEN THE EYES "GET OVER IT, OR ELSE YOU WON'T GET BETTER. GET OVER IT QUICK."

We all have our good days and bad days -- hopefully many more good days than bad. Right? Right. That's what life's all about. Make today better than yesterday. So, as of today, I'm fortunate to be feeling pretty good. Just 3 months shy of Marathon Monday. Scary yet exciting.

Moral of the Story: Those Hard Steps are always hard, but they get easier when you have the Running Nazi glaring in your direction, holding you accountable.

Smile Laurie, that's a compliment. Thanks for pushing me today!