Road Blocks

Why does life pose such challenges? Is there a simple answer to that? Yes? No? Depends on the context right?

Life isnt easy. Whoever said it is has a really good outlook on things. I had this goal - something I really set out and trained and dedicated my time to achieving - Qualifying and Running the 2011 Boston Marathon. I was 19 days away from achieving that goal. Yesterday, registration for Boston opened and it closed in a record breaking 8 hours. 8 HOURS! Unbelievable! I couldnt believe it when I heard it. Its times like these that make me wonder why things like this happen. I know and truly believe that everything happens for a reason, but why did this happen?

I sat up all night thinking about how the race closed out so fast; how if I had only run a marathon a week before or a month before or just anytime before. I thought about how I havent really set a goal in a long time that I was 100% dedicated to and how I felt so proud to be doing this. I thought about what could possibly be the reason behind this race closing out so quick. I cried, I stared into space, I tossed and turned with anger and disappointment.

The funny thing about all of this is last night when Coach Brian and I walked home from practice, we had a pretty deep heart-to-heart post the breaking of the Boston news. We talked about 'looking at the positive in things'. How there is always some good in whatever the bad may be. This goes back to the 'everything happens for a reason'. So after wallowing in my misery, I remembered this little conversation and started laughing at myself. Alicia-- there is a reason why Boston closed out so quickly; I may not know what it is now, nor in the near future. But somewhere along the line of life there is a reason.

Life throws you curve balls. and yeah sometimes they leave you extremely disappointed. But what now? Am I not going to run NYC to qualify? Absolutely NOT! I am going to go out there with all my heart, run my race and still qualify. Instead of 2011, it will have to be for 2012. And I will have every calendar notification ready to go off the morning registration opens for Boston 2012. Outlook, Blackberry, day planner, sticky notes hung in my cube, countdown counters, mental notes... you name it! But do you know what else? This makes me want to run this marathon with more heart and soul than I intended. 3:40 is a qualifying time, so why not shoot for a 3:35. Say some prayers, give me some luck folks! 3:35 is the new goal...