Why I May or May Not Ever Be a Pro Athlete

On my way to NYRR's 3rd Annual Five Borough Bash, I got lucky. Traffic crawled up Park Ave, and as I scrolled through my twitter feed, I found out Lauren Fleshman was at a store just a few blocks away. Moments later, I was running down the streets of New York to meet this running rockstar. Lauren, who is down-to-earth and awesome, got me thinking, "Why can't (or can) I do that?" Here's my reasonings:

1. I'll say it--I will do anything for free running gear, even if it means dragging myself out of bed after two days of being sick and running three miles (it was worth it--I got a nice gym bag, a hat, and I got to meet/run with Bart Yasso). And I believe that pros enjoy getting gear for "free" also; their names are even on their shirts. Damn. That's nice. During last year's ING NYC Marathon, I wore a tech shirt from a Healthy Kidney run I did a few years back. I took the shirt to my favorite bar and had all the regulars sign it with permanent marker, and I colored my name across the front. Running those 26.2 miles with people yelling my name definitely spurred me on. If I had my name on my shirt ALL the time, of course I'd run faster. Imagine the possibilities. If I had the actual lettering across my shirt, I probably would have swept up the marathon faster than what post-season baseball does to Boston. I would be...a pro.

2. I like the same things pros like. After I met Lauren Fleshman, I decided to go home and re-read a recent article about her in Runner's World. She eats burgers, drinks beer, and is 30 years old. I, too, do these things and happen to also be 30. Sure, I'd have to run a lot more and be more strict about my diet. And Lauren has been running a long time, but I can't help but wonder...is it ever too late?

3. Sometimes, I feel like a pro. Everytime I run a faster 10k, or pass someone, I get a cheap thrill. When a non-runner friend compliments me in awe of my (albeit minor) running accomplishments, my runner's ego soars--even without an Olympic record. I have a competitive edge that creeps out when I hit the pavement.

I guess it just goes to show that you don't have to be a pro to feel like an athlete.

Good luck everyone!

Why You Want to be a Runner

1. Chances are, you've realized that you're a little nuts anyway--why not go the next step and sign up for a race? Runners get up at five, sometimes four in the morning, to run marathons and the like. I'm sure you've done crazy things, too. It was a chilly morning in Queens when I realized that running provided a sweaty outlet for all of us lunatics; there we were, lined up for blocks at six am, waiting for shuttle buses to take us to the start of a half marathon. The only other people around that early on a fall, Saturday morning were people going to work. They looked at all of us like we were crazy. Hey--they were on to something.

2. Running is SO effing popular right now. The NYC Marathon grows in numbers every year. In 2010, over half the participants were running their first marathon. Forget the fact that Oprah and Lance have ran marathons, your friends are doing it, and your friends used to be the laziest people you knew until they started running. Get off the couch.

3. You already have a lot in common with runners. They like the same things you do--wine, pizza, beer, burgers...that's four things already you can discuss when you join a local running group. Sure, we take running seriously, but beer tastes seriously better after putting a good five miles in.

4. Running gives you a sense of achievement and pride, no matter what the distance. Runners, like you, are sweet on the outside with a competitive core tucked in the grit of their shoes. Runners Ego is the small smile we have when we realize we ran a faster 5k this week than last week, or when we finish at the top of our age group. Runners at all levels experience a sense of self-worth and satisfaction when they sit in front of their eggs and pancakes at brunch and know they've earned it. And there's nothing more satisfying than the moment you run so much, you become a running mentor to someone just starting out. "I ran my fastest yet," someone recently said to me. I beamed as though a kid had just given me a drawing to hang on the fridge with a magnet, I was so proud of my new running friend. :) That so makes running worth it.