26.2 Down The Road

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about."
-PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

Yesterday, I jogged for 20 continuous minutes. I haven't been able to do that since I was 19 years old. It's interesting, because six weeks ago, I never would have dreamed I'd be able to do it. But I willed myself to keep on going, no matter what. What's crazy is I felt like I still had legs left after I was done. This journey is so fascinating at times. It pushes me beyond what I thought I could do, or where I could go. It makes me feel powerful.

So now, I find myself wondering how far I can actually push myself. Where is my limit? I have a feeling it is much higher than I think it is. So, I am setting a daunting new goal for myself: to run a marathon before I turn 40. I am turning 39 next month, so that gives me time to prepare. The Disney Marathon is in January, and the Long Island Marathon is in May, so I have a couple of chances to do it.

I know that none of this would be possible had I not undergone the Lap-Band surgery. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself. It doesn't do the work for you like Gastric Bipass, but it helps you do the work yourself. My body used to refuse to cooperate, and now it does.

So even with it's ups and downs, triumphs and challenges, life is pretty darn good right now. It's magical. :)