random ruminations

i was awake at 4:30 this morning--why, I don't know--thinking about things. (how vague can I be?) one of those 'things' was the marathon and my upcoming training. I had dinner with my brother a few nights ago when he was in the city on business (which is pretty amusing to me, considering that my brother is younger than I am and has an expense account while I am a struggling graduate student/aspiring social worker!). anyway, so B and I had dinner and I was telling him about the training and the race. He was a little surprised that I'm doing it, but I think he's excited for me. Leave it to B to point out the irony in the situation:

B:"So, where does the race go? Around central park or something?"
M: "It goes through all five boroughs."
B: (agape) "M, you are crazy! I couldn't even walk 26.2 miles without complaining. I think it's so funny how, growing up, my activity level was up here (motions with hands in the sky) and yours was down here (motions towards the floor) and now we're like this (switches hand position)."

He's right--it is pretty ironic when I think back to my couch- potato- anti-gym class days and B's tenure as a 3-season athlete. Now I'm running because I want to. Last year after the GRBA 5k, Mom and Dad were like, "Who are you and what have you done with our daughter?!" I started running while I was abroad a few years ago, so very few people saw me when I could barely last 20 minutes. Now they're all surprised that I can finish a half-marathon solidly. I'm pretty proud of that, if I do say so myself! Time for the next challenge. :) November 5, here I come!