In 143 days, I'll be working my way to the start and then through the streets of New York running the TCS New York City Marathon. With my "official" training set to start here in a couple of weeks, I thought I would re-post this blog from March. This was right after I found out I was "in!" Also, I'm running for a reason....well, besides the personal one of completing my #bestyearyet....I'm running as a St. Jude Hero (http://heroes.stjude.org/timpeterson). They are doing incredible things for children and families at St. Jude. I will be posting updates on my 18 week journey, so stay tuned.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, March 3rd, I received some great news....I GAINED ENTRY INTO THE 2015 NYC MARATHON! Now, I didn't qualify due to my time (which is good, because right now, my times wouldn't get me in), I got picked from a lottery of over 80,000 other people looking to get in just like me. They selected right at 14,000..so you can see my odds were great. Words really can't express how blessed I feel that on my first attempt out, I got selected. I know of others who have tried year after year and don't get in. I even have a friend, from New York, that didn't get selected this time. What is the reason? Why me? Honestly, I didn't ask myself either of these. The reason is, I got picked...and I'm going to make the most of it. You see, I'm a runner....now I'm not the fastest or the slowest; I'm sure my running posture would not get me on a poster, but would probably be a good case study in what not to do. It really doesn't matter...because I'm a runner. I took this up about 2 1/2 years ago with a challenge to run a 5k for a local ministry. I had never run 3.1 miles before, but I thought I could do it. The next day, I ran..but didn't know how far. The day after that, I took with me an ipod with a running app that would tell me my distance. After I got done, 3.48 miles! Ok, I can run a 5k. After that, I did a 10k and then, somewhat cooled my running efforts...UNTIL a day in November of 2012 that I knew I needed to challenge myself to run a half marathon. Remember, up to this time, I furtherest I had ever run was 6.2 miles...and that was once. I accepted that challenge, trained over the winter and ran that half marathon in February of 2013. Since then, I have run 2 other half marathons, a few 5 and 10k as well as 2 full marathons...and hundreds of miles of training inbetween. Which leads to the NYC Marathon in November, where I will cap off my #bestyearyet running through the 5 boroughs of NY with 50,000 of my closest friends! The book shown above has been an inspiration. My wife gave it to me for Christmas knowing that it was what I wanted to do. So, I'm looking forward to the Race Like No Other but until November, I have many other roads to run, races to accomplish, to get ready because....I'M A RUNNER.
