Never let someone steal your joy, it's yours!
A few weeks ago, I had a familiar exchange with an acquaintance. Running brings me joy and a sense of accomplishment, most of the time. My physical appearance is not like the typical runner. That doesn't define me. I have been fortunate to finish 8 marathons.
My old friend asked me this: are you still running?
Me: Yes!
Old friend: can you imagine running a full marathon?
Me: Yes, I have run 8.
Old friend: Really? Are you sure?
Me: I am sure of it, started running over 12 years ago. It brings me a ton of joy.
Old friend: But what about your back and knees?
Me: What about them? They have never been better and did I tell you that I just turned 50.
Old friend: Huh, I thought with your weight that it would be impossible to run that far and for that long.
Interesting to say the least. One lesson here, don't judge a book by its cover. Heavy people run. They can have fun doing it. They can be successful too. They can experience joy of the run.
This was marathon #6. Pure joy.
See you at the finish line. My goal is to finish 10 full marathons. They are grueling. They teach you so many things. They beat you up mentally and physically. They teach you how to experience joy.
Don't let anyone ever steal it from you. :)
