I write this with a very light heart, a heart of someone that knows what they are going after, and knows how hard it has been to get to this point.
Today (I work at a gym part time- in case you missed that) at the gym, a little boy came in wearing the STP (Seattle to Portland bike ride) coat. So I ask, is that the new one from this year? Yes, said his dad. I have known his dad since I started going to the gym, very nice man works out all the time, very nice boy as well. Anyway, so I say, " I am trying to find a new challenge for next year, maybe I will do the STP next year. " so we have a conversation about this year's ride, how he did, how he felt... you can either do the ride in 1 or 2 days I believe it is 209 miles. He did it this year in 1 day, last year in 2 days. I said I have friends that did it two years ago in 2 days. That is great you did it in one day. Then I mention (not sure he didn't know this ) that I was training for a marathon in October. (Seriously I think the people that drop their kids off our sick of hearing about from me! - Hey the more people that know, then I know I can't back out, well I am way past the backing out stage now!) Anyway the point to my babbling here is to say this... he said it, I kid you not, " A Real Marathon?" Many things went through my head on how to answer after the fact, you know what you wish you would have said. I replied, "yes a real 26.2 mile marathon". I could tell he regretted how he responded, well one word comes to mind is, well, RUDE! But I will forgive him, as I really think he meant well. He did go onto explain that although he could bike 200+ miles in one day, he can only run 5 miles at a time. So after that I was happy I didn't respond with an incredibly sarcastic remark, I think he was shocked ANYONE would be undertaking the task, not just me singled out. So I will put my claws back in, and let the man have a mulligan. (Don't know what a mulligan is? Click on the word mulligan!)
4 comments:
some people... way to handle yourself... I am so bad at those under-the-pressure type of attitudes! Mine is rarely in check like it should be.
I think he meant well too ;-) He was just in awe of the distance not that you couldn't do it ;-)
Not to defend the dude, but I think a lot of people are confused about what a marathon really is. When we first moved to Yuma we went out to dinner & our waitress told us she had run a marathon that morning. I got really excited (this crap town hosts a marathon? Cool!) I went home and did some research... turned out she ran a 10K. ?? So instead of deeming her a liar... I let her off on the confusion note ;)
I envy you your trip to Sekiu - have an amazing time!!
I would have thought the same way you did - that he was insulting me. But his explaination makes sense - 26.2 miles is such a huge distance for a lot of people to wrap their minds around - sounds like he was just really impressed!
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