Commitment to goals

Okay, now its official; I've joined the Ft Lauderdale Road Runner's marathon training group. When that alarm went off at 5AM, I had to remind myself that any amount of anxiety, of meeting new people, confronting a new situation, and running out with a group of strangers was worth the benefits of training- consistency, improvement, and yes, eventually getting me to that start line in Miami.

I pull up to an empty parking lot in the dark of pre-dawn, and watch the first cars drive in. I finally get the nerve to move out and introduce myself to a few folks until I find out the coach, Coach Robert, is inside the store, prepping his paperwork. It's short intros and a surprised, impressed response when I report my 40 mpw. Apparently, I'm ahead of the game, and he quickly assigns me a rough general plan as well as the day's mileage "how's 6-7 sound? go with them", pointing to a couple of women who look like running vets. A quick look at maps, water stops, and its out the door and off we go.

I am not a good runner in the dark, and sidewalks are my nemesis. I decide to "follow the leader", Nancy, who appears to run with little effort in short efficient strides. We turn off Sunrise, past George English park up Bayview, a road I'd never seen, until we hit Oakland and turn to the beach. I feel surprisingly good- my 7 miles the night before gave me a kind of preparation- and it was coolish- with the light just hitting the water as we rounded the turn south at the ocean. Coach Robert pops up unexpectedly on Bayview and again on S. Ocean (miles 2 and 4?) at our water stops...a few words of encouragement, 'how's it going girls etc.'. I feel fine, I feel part of my little pack. We've been joined, by now, by Esther, who is elite, who runs on her toes, who is out ahead with Nancy, while Jane and I hold our pace. The stretch down to Sunrise is fluid and light- I try to put it up a gear, just ahead of Jane. I fly down the bike lane, until we turn on to Sunrise. Up and over the water, until Federal, and home to the store.
Just shy of 7 miles. Everyone comes in at their own pace. Accelerade is mixed at the ready. The store is open for our use, and on the sidewalk, towels are thrown down for stretching. I receive my official t-shirt and singlet. I change clothes. I record my mileage for Coach. I'm done for the day.

Sunday, I did a 9.5 miler from North park beach, up to Dania Bch Blvd, looping over to 14th Ave all the way into Hollywood, to the Blvd, over back to the beach and up. Felt amazingly strong despite running in the middle of the day in the heat. (Started at 11:30AM) The middle section through Hollywood was picturesque, along the water, picking up with roads as I went, until I caught Hollywood Blvd. If I started it from my house, it would be more of a 12-15 miler, so a better long run. I have to remember that in about a month I have a 30k to contend with.

Commitment to goals means now that every Saturday morning the alarm will go off at 5AM, and I will roll out of bed and into running clothes to join up with the Ft. Lauderdale group. It means slowly working my way through the weeks between now and that 30k, through November and Key Biscayne, and into December when Coach Robert decides to work me hard. It means the anticipation of tapering into those last weeks of January. The marathon tip I received this weekend? visualize the goal, and see it happen; the mind will then 'accept' the reality- the body will follow.

I, who have accomplished many goals in life that were seemingly out of reach, am reaching for this one now. My natural persistence should pay off if I allow myself the satisfaction of meeting the short term goals of participation in the process, as week by week I chart the miles, the conditioning, the accomplishments. It's not just physical, its so mental. It's getting past miles 2-3, until it all becomes loose and easy and it feels like anything is possible. Where the feet are able to go, the mind can transcend, is free like birds on the water, in pre-dawn light, skimming the surface of dreams.