my first love.

january 01 2005.

amazingly, I wasn't very hungover. the weather was beautiful - if oddly unseasonal.

I didn't think of myself as a runner. I thought of myself as a gym rat who ran occassionaly ... 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there, before or after 10-20 minutes on the elliptical or the stationary bike. I had done a couple 5Ks.

I was running down St. Paul street when I thought (and I remember this. I do.) I should run a marathon.

it was always on my life list. it was always something I wanted to do, something to do once (ha.) and check off. and I thought -- for the first time and at the beginning of this journey and it's a thought I've had several times since -- if not now, when?

[because there will always be something]

Later that week I registered for the Baltimore Marathon.

___

now that I am not "in training" and just kind of puttering around, doing what I want when I want for however long I wish ... I find myself lacing up. I find myself lacing up and running familiar routes in my city and seeing the Trapeze School and the baby ducks in the Inner Harbor and the water around Fort McHenry.

maybe it's because it takes too long to drive to the gym and change into a swimsuit. maybe it's because it's a pain to drag the trainer up from the basement.

maybe it's just because I Love Running.