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| Runners come in all shapes and sizes. |
It's no secret that this year has been a brutal one for me health-wise. I had a broken foot and four Ulcerative Colitis flare-ups, including one hospitalization. Because of my health, running to took a back seat. I just didn't have the energy. And when I finally started to feel better, I had very little motivation and desire to work out and run. This past June, I ran my first road race. It was a 5-mile race in Central Park and I had barely run in over two months so this was probably a stupid idea anyway. Who runs a 5-mile race and doing zero physical activity and being really sick? Um, well, I do. I did. And it was a HUGE mistake. I ran the race. And then went home and cried. My time was awful. It was so freaking slow. And I was upset. My health was improving but my morale was down. My friends tried to console me saying that I should be happy I finished the 5-mile race after being inactive and sick for so long. They were proud of me. I tried to see it that way, but just couldn't. I understand for those that don't run that far of a distance, this can be a great achievement, but I was just not a happy camper. I wish I could have been because they were right. But I just kept thinking "after not running for so long, would I ever get back in it?" Would I have the heart and the right head on my shoulders to keep at it after this demoralizing race? Well, I think we all know the answer is yes now. To think that in a little less than a month I will be running 26.2 miles is really exciting for me and I am grateful that my body has held up thus far. It has certainly come a long way since that 5-mile debacle in June.
I signed up for the marathon with very wishful thinking considering all the health issues I have had this year. And things have been going so far, so good. Then things got even better when New York Road Runners (NYRR) changed their baggage policy for the race. They informed their marathon runners they will no longer be offering baggage drop-off and pick-up. A first for any major marathon. I was extremely happy about this since I have written them a complaining email about it every year I have run NYC before because of the long wait post-race for those that don't check a bag and still have to wait. Anyway, after their announcement that they would not be allowing people to check bags, chaos ensued. Their website and Facebook page blew up with comments, questions, and insults. Friends of mine that were runners were posting about it on Facebook too. And then some people's true colors came out. And not in a good way. Us runners, especially those running the marathon should stick together and respect each other. One thing I have learned and that runners come in all shapes and sizes and with that, comes different gaits, paces, and race strategies. So you would think that they would all respect each other as we are all out there for the same reasons, more or less.
After writing about "Respect the Distance" just one post ago, I started thinking more about if people really do respect the distance of the marathon. I think the general consensus of normal, sane people is yes. But then I kept thinking and remembered all the nasty things I was reading on the NYRR FB page about my fellow runners respecting the distance, but not respecting their fellow runners who are going to complete the exact same distance. They were knocking people who were...gasp..."slow runners". Oh, the horror.
When NYRR announced they were not going to allow people to check bags, of course people were upset. What would they change into after the race? Where would they keep their phones, Metrocards, and keys? Normal concerns. People who have always checked bags and didn't mind waiting in line after the race to get their bags were upset and rightfully so. However, things soon got ugly and rude. (Such is FB sometimes though.) And whether or not people were trying to be "funny" or are just assholes, is debateable. These people were (in my opinion) fast, sub-4:00 marathon runners. Most considered local elite. Some of them I even knew. Most of the comments that were not so nice were along the lines of "If you didn't run a six-hour marathon, maybe you wouldn't have to wait." Or "Maybe if you ran faster, there wouldn't be any lines." Followed by a "Hahaha." And these comments garnered many likes. WTF? Are you telling me that someone who runs a six hour marathon deserves to wait in line? Although I do not run a six-hour marathon, my thoughts automatically were that there are more of us (slower runners) than there are of you and 26.2 miles is 26.2 miles no matter how long it takes. We train just as hard as you do, but it just takes us longer. Who the fuck are you to laugh at a six-hour marathon? Like I said, I knew some of the people who made these comments and liked others and it made me look at them at a totally different light. I have always been so in awe of their fast times and I respect them and think they are very talented, and clearly they do not think the same of me. (And this is not the first time I have heard comments like these come out of their mouths about not-so-fast runners.) They don't consider my marathon the same importance as theirs because it's slow. What the fuck?
Maybe I am being oversensitive? And this might sound like a stupid thing to be irritated over, but it's insulting. Who is make fun of anyone's marathon time? I see the 80-year-olds out there running. I see the 250-pound-women out there running. The people with a prostetic limbs running. And the "casual" runners like myself. I would say most people there are more along the lines of casual runners. Their times might not be as fast as you would run but they crossed that finish line. Although a casual runner, I am working my ass off and this is just as important to me as it is to you so to laugh at my "slow" time is a fucking dick move. So there, I got that off my chest.
I know I have said this a million times and I am not patting myself on the back or anything but running a marathon is a huge accomplishment no matter how long it takes. Some people are more "natural" runners than others and that's awesome for them. I, however, am not one of those people. I do what I can with what God gave me. I am by no means a natural-born runner. Athlete yes. But runner, most certainly not. But I work with what I've got. And if that's not good enough for you, then sorry for even running the same race because I know it disgusts you. I respect you and your time. I just hope one day you can get your head out of your ass and and respect mine and the other 75% of the runners in the race.
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