Going The Distance

New York City 3:50 p.m.

I'm hiding.

It's true. I'm eating the right foods. Well, except last night when I ate Reese's peanut butter cups and drank Corona Light.
I'm staying in at night. Well, except tonight ...err..and maybe tomorrow night. My son Ben is doing a gig downtown tonight at 8 ( should be in bed by 10 for sure ). Tomorrow night I'm going to an ethics conference at Fordham and maybe, maybe afterward I'm going up to the 92nd Street Y to see Sam Shepherd read from his new play. I swam yesterday and had a luscious massage. My friend Betsy, whose done two New York and two Boston Marathons, keeps saying:"rest" when she calls.

So, I am resting. Thus, there's not much to write about. If I were Emily Dickinson, I'd have something pithy to write about the exegencies of life and the clarity that comes from solitude.

For me, I can't wait until I wake up Sunday morning. I can't wait until I stand on the edge of the Verrazano Narrows bridge with 37,000 others, shuffle up to the starting line, hear the high pitched beep when it registers my chip, and off I go. No more worrying about whether my right hip flexor will fire, no more fretting about what to wear to keep warm, no more wondering if I'll have someone who will run at my pace, someone to talk to for the five hours it will probably take me to run the course.

I got an email and voicemail from my talented and faithful trainer, Bill Sayer a couple of days ago. " You've come along way. I'm betting on you", his message said. If he were here ( his training company is in Philadelphia ) , he would frown a little at all my worries. Tell me not to be in my head. The truth is that his training for the past 18 months has given me the core strength and confidence to try this challenge. And for that, let me say: Thanks, Bill. You're the man!

Now, I guess I'd better go for a long walk and think good thoughts. Image the last few hundred yards as I curve around Columbus Circle, lift my legs a little higher so that I can conquer the slight incline there, and go over the final beep at the finish line.
Should be just about this time...four days from now.

M.C.