More Miles Than Degrees Outside

Date: January 17, 2009
Distance: 14.1 miles
Degrees: 10
Falls: 2
Breakfast: Oatmeal Carrot Pancakes and the Dima's Omelet at Sorrella's (halvsies w/ Suzanne)

Who can forget the morning I went out for a short jaunt before day two of emceeing Sport in Society's Power of Sport Summit, tripped over my shoe laces a quarter of the way around the pond, and scraped up my knees so badly that they bled through my pants the entire morning -- it at least made for a good shtick for my introduction at the event.

Because I wear the same shoes for way too long before buying new ones, I had the very same irksome shoelaces untie and trip me not once, but twice on our run two weeks ago - a gorgeous 14 miler through what I consider to be the Best Of Boston - the River Way, Fenway, Copley, the Bike Path, the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond. Fortunately, we were running more miles than it was degrees outside, so my 4 layers kept me from feeling both falls (or was it the cold-induced numbness?).

Despite the falls, the run was literally sensational! While I try to deny it, getting sufficient sleep really does do my body good and having conked out 10 minutes into a movie on Friday night, I woke up refreshed and ready to roll with 10 hours of sleep in me on Saturday. WOW! Only a few weeks ago I was doubting if I could still run a 15 K ...and here I was busting out a 14 miler and feeling incredible while doing it. My energy wasn't just coming from sleep, though - it was coming from the presence of Suzanne and Mark, with whom I feel honored to run; it was coming from the gorgeous sunshine dancing off of the snow and through the trees in the River Way; it was coming from the ironic sense of freedom that comes with true commitment. Although my face hurt within seconds of starting the run, and the hair poking out from the back of my hat again formed some wicked icicle dreadlocks, and my legs went sort of numb at mile 13, I was physically and spiritually flying with not just a runner's high, but something more akin to a runner's elation!

I knew when I decided to blog about my training that I would want to bring Sport in Society's work into my reflections, but I did not expect that the links to SIS would come as naturally as they have. This particular run my thoughts were very much centered on the economic disparities that exist in Boston's urban communities, as well as the powerful change that can occur with the right mix of leadership, civic engagement, and hope...which is just what Sport in Society works to foster. The thought hit me as we ran to Suzanne's apartment, our halfway point, for a water stop. Suzanne now lives on Mission Hill - one of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in Boston, which has seen a great deal of revitalization in recent years, thanks to tremendous government leadership (especially Sport in Society's Kevin Fitz, after whom Mission Hill's Puddingstone Park was recently renamed) and an incredible combination of community organizations that engage both youth and adults in community revitalization. As we ran to Suzanne's, past multiple run-down factory buidlings, dodging potholes and avoiding traffic, I for a moment regretted taking that route because it was so "unsightly." But instantaneously, I checked myself. "Self," I said to myself, "aren't these streets, these crowded houses, this concrete landscape, the very reason you're training for this marathon?" Yes. I'm running to raise awareness about the disparities that exist ... to remind myelf that they exist ... and to support an organization dedicated to converting the concrete urban landscape into one of hope and opportunity. Last week, my gratitude was focused on my very ability to run. This week, I was incredibly appreciative to be a part of the Sport in Society family, to talk about Mission Hill and how Kevin Fitz, one of Boston's most loved change makers, was also a member of the SIS family, and appreciative for the opportunity to use sport itself to support an organization that brings the power of sport and a wealth of social justice education to communities like Mission Hill.

And then there was breakfast...after much confusion, the team, a few significant others, and coincidentally, a Mission Hill youth worker friend-of-a-friend, teamed up for one helluva brunch at Sorrella's. As always, the omelet was bursting at the seams with an odd assortment of veggies and the pancakes were piping hot and mouth-wateringly delicious! If I had to choose, I would take the pumpkin cranberry pancakes over the oatmeal carrot ones, but luckily I didn't have to choose since I got to trade half my oatmeal cakes for Dave's pumpkin ones.. God bless halvsies and food swaps!