Because I Want It

"Choosing a goal and sticking to it changes everything." --Scott Reed

Saturday July 11 marked three months until Chicago '09, where I will make what I believe will be my successful attempt to qualify for Boston. In fact, I not only plan to make it in the required time of 3:50:59 or less, but I plan to train, prepare and pace it so as to have a significant buffer in case anything goes wrong (like it did last time and I missed it by three minutes).

I love the journey as much as achieving the goal. It gives my life meaning. But that does mean I have to make sacrifices and tough out times when it would be so much easier to wobble on the training. I get up hours before my comfort zone to run, shun extra portions and junk food that tempt me, go to bed early and skip late-at-night social activities, avoid other exhausting activities. And of course, many more little sacrifices along the way too numerous to mention. It's costly. Period.

So many well-meaning people have discussed with me ways to scrape by my goal, shown me miracle training plans running just 3 or 4 days per week, or otherwise ridiculed my singular obsession with this goal or roll their eyes at how much I'm putting into this.

But the goal is two-fold. I wouldn't miss a step of the hard work that I am doing and am going to take. If that means toughing out challenging circumstances, running through the agony of wanting to quit; so be it. I relish the journey; I want the goal. And that's really my best answer to people who look at me like I'm crazy for what I do. "Because, you see, I WANT IT."

"In this life we get only those things for which we hunt, for which we strive, and for which we are willing to sacrifice." --George Matthew Adams