Following a Path
Through The Heart of It All
“You’re all Kenyans in my eyes!”
~Sign in Central Park, NYC held by 8 year old girl.
Running a half marathon isn’t easy for me. Loving New York is easy for me. With this balance in mind, I took on my biggest challenge on Sunday – The New York City Half Marathon. An extremely popular event, the race brings 16,000 random people together to run 13.1 miles through Manhattan. It is the New York Road Runners Association’s most popular race – a more achievable distance than the full marathon – and you still get the feeling of doing something great in one of the most amazing cities on Earth.
The course takes you on one REALLY LONG outer loop of Central Park – 8 miles, give or take. The miles are long and arduous. There are really big hills and the scenery doesn’t change that much. It’s just people waiting to get to the 8th mile. There, you exit the park onto Seventh Avenue, running down and through Times Square, and onto the West Side Highway, where the finish meets you at West Street and Chambers Street.
When I heard about the course, I was nervous. Central Park bores the crap out of me running-wise, and I was really afraid it would mentally be too tough. Also, I haven’t had as much time to prepare. I have been working out a lot, but haven’t gotten down as much mileage as before. Also, the stress at work has been eating at me a little bit – and I’ve been getting really sick of DC.
The thing about running is, for me, that it’s never fun until you get yourself out the door. Sometimes you have bad runs, and sometimes you have great ones – but you always get something from it. You get calories burned, or anger released, or some sort of time to yourself to think.
Running through New York for me is like the closest to full meditation that I come. I came back from the experience exhilarated and sad that I was not there still – but kind of empowered. I control where I live, where I go, and what I do. Running really makes you feel like you can go from one place to another – because you can.
I have been feeling unsure lately about the direction that my life is going in. I was even so chaotic that I thought I hadn’t quite been prepared for the race. I think that there are many negative thoughts that can creep in if we let them – it’s almost easier to think that we’re going to fail.
Running can be a life-changing thing, but only if you let it. Maybe it brought me back a little bit – back to the path that I’m on, and to the way I’m going to get through it all.
Challenges, Running | Beth Oppenheim March 23, 2010
4 Comments to “Following a Path”
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By Michelle, March 23, 2010 @ 11:45 am
Beth, you are amazing and I’m so proud of you! You are my running sensei. I can’t wait to run the Brooklyn Half with you
By Ryan Hanzel, March 23, 2010 @ 1:09 pm
Running is a great thing, even a half marathon. There is not a lot of people that can say they do that kind of stuff. I hate running up until I start, maybe about a half mile in I get warmed up and really enjoy the run. As long as I don’t stop between my start/stop I feel accomplished with myself. Great post!
By Sam Karol, March 23, 2010 @ 2:04 pm
I think it’s so awesome that you did this, major kudos! Running is not my thing at all, but I can relate to the benefits of exercise once you get started. I never want to go to the gym, but once I step on the elliptical and start going, I pour any negative or stressful energy into my workout. At the end I feel better physically and emotionally.
It’s pretty cool that physical activity can affect us in this way, and I hope that you’re right and this run did bring you closer to the path you want to be on. I know you’ll get through it and find your way. It just might take some time. So, remember that you have people who care about you and will be there along the way!
By Sara Davidson, April 6, 2010 @ 10:56 am
Hey Beth! I am soooooo far behind on my Google Reader, I just ran across this! Just wanted to give you a HUGE congrats!!! I relate completely to what you’re saying with running and also where you are in your life. I just started this year and it’s been so rewarding for me. There were a few weeks last month that I stopped (SXSW and I was sick), and I literally could tell a difference in my mood. Not only does the physical exercise make us feel better, but I think for me it’s the sense of accomplishment and discipline that is also very rewarding. Just like you said, when it feels like the rest of your life is in chaos, it almost makes you feel like you are in control of just that one thing. The funny thing is that I was supposed to run a half-marathon in May, but because of those two weeks off I decided not to do it – and I was really disappointed in myself. But then my friends and family reminded me of all the other things I have to be proud of and happy for in my life. Remember to not be so hard on yourself and that you are doing amazing things. I have to keep telling myself that it’s ok to not have it all figured out right now – that it’s ok to take two steps forward, one step back. Sometimes we plan so much for the future that we forget to live in the moment, enjoy it and just breathe.
I also thought you might enjoy this post by Jenny Blake if you haven’t read it: http://www.lifeaftercollege.org/blog/2010/03/22/enough-2/