It's almost here!

After months of training, Geoff and I are so excited to run a marathon this weekend. We leave tonight to drop our son off at my parent's house, then head onto Cleveland tomorrow. We are thrilled for a little down time before the race and then to put all of our training and hard work to the test on Sunday.

I just read an email sent to the GR race director that he then posted for all of us on the email group to see. It was from a former Olympian (1996 1 mile runner) and thought that his perspective on the marathon was so right on. I hope his thoughts give you a little insight as to why we run.

Today, runners deal with stress well and are typically more emotionally balanced. They are doers and discover solutions before the sedentary. They intimately know their neighborhood. They come up with great ideas during long miles of breathing, sweating, and pounding. Runners have passion; they are willing to suffer a long time for something they want. They are not interested in instant gratification or a quick high; they plan, prepare, and execute until they achieve their goal.

The most respected runners since early times were those that could run the marathon. The marathon is the most revered of all the distances. It is 26.2 miles of shear fortitude and focus.

Now we have cars, cell phones, and satellites, why do people run the marathon? The marathon is a microcosm of our lives and provides us insight into who we are and what we are made of. A marathon event and the training associated to prepare for one is the opportunity to identify with others like us.

On race day we see thousands of runners going in the same direction. It is a phenomenon of positive momentum. It is a moment at which we all in unison draw the line in the sand AGAINST several things: most notably, procrastination and laziness, age and gender, and quitting and getting fat. Most importantly during a marathon you are guaranteed to see the human spirit at its best.

I will attempt to complete my fourth marathon on September 19, 2008 at 9:00am in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I have only completed two of the three I have attempted. I am a 1996 Olympic mile runner and will go way beyond my specialty in an attempt to gain some self-prospective. There is only one thing I know for sure: I know I will be tested beyond what I can imagine, the distance is too long for me to run alone and it will take me looking to my fellow competitors and remembering the people that I have sweated and trained with for inspiration if I plan to finish strong. Paul McMullen, 1996 Olympian, Spring Lake, Michigan

Thanks for reading my post today, whether you know it or not you help to drive me faster and further ahead, just by simply reading my blog. Thanks for the support and check back Sunday for an update!