Why Am I Doing This?

Tomorrow, I start my first official training session with the Los Angeles Roadrunners http://www.laroadrunners.com/ which I hope leads me to completing my first marathon in just 27 weeks, the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon!

Why am I doing this? I am not sure there really is a specific reason.

Inspiration? I know a few people who have run marathons and they seem to be still inspired by the challenge.

Exercise? I definitely hope to be in better physical shape, and may be even mental shape, after the first one. I have had a few pains while just doing conditioning since April; but, I already am seeing positive results.

May be it is because I enjoy running? In high school, I ran for the Servite track team and ran a huge variety of races: the 110 and 220 sprints, the 440 (1/4 mile) challenge, the awesome and mighty 880, the long-haul 1-mile and 2-miles and then the 4 x 110 and 4 x 440 relays with the legendary "STICK!" calls. Something about running just has always made me excited, even if my previous longest run was 5.8 miles around Anaheim and Fullerton in Hell Week.

Challenge? It has been a difficult 2009 for me for many, many reasons. The goal of preparing for, running in, and completing a marathon has become a bright spot.

Some other reason? The last few months have been diffiult and made me reflect on life. I am thinking of my all-time favorite movie, "Chariots of Fire" and the quote by Eric Liddell on running: "I believe that God made me for a purpose ... , but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure."

I hope that is why, ultimately, I run.