NYC Marathon

Yesterday was the NYC marathon. I caught the 4 hour finishers as they ran down Cat Hill near the Metropolitan Museum. My thoughts returned to the last two years, when I was one of them trudging along. At the 24 mile mark, every painful step is painful is filled with joy. Finishing is just about guaranteed at that point. This year, the weather cooperated in a clear blue sky and I was content to stand on the sidelines. Last year I'd vowed never to run a marathon again, but to cheer along others. This year, without needing a week of recovery I tasted the excitement and pride of tens of thousands heading down the home stretch. Once you've run the NYC marathon, you don't have to continue proving it to yourself.