I am sitting in my living room on an extremely hot evening in New Providence. Just now I found myself staring at the blinking cursor on my laptop and silently berate myself for checking in on my blog for the first time in three weeks. Three weeks ago, the hammer indeed fell as I received the official email from Chicago Marathon that the race would not take place this year.
The feeling of disappointment that came over me was surprising as this outcome should have been expected. In the shadows of my hopeful optimism, that nagging suspicion that one of the things I love to in marathon running is not a reality this year. 2020 would not be the year for my first Abbott World Majors. One of the questions that was directed towards me in the aftermath of this was: "Are you going to run a virtual marathon?"
I need a fresh paragraph to dedicate to my response to this question.
I do not sign up for marathons just for the sake of completing the distance. I do not sign up for marathons to have a finisher's medal shipped to me in the mail (somewhere in the distance I can hear my friend Cheryl howl with laughter - lol later with that). I know that I can run the distance, as Chicago was slated to be my fourth full marathon. I have dozens of medals in my collection. I sign up for marathons for the experience. The crowds. The expos. The excitement. The bonds and connections that turn into friendships. The support. The love for a sport that can bring 40,000 people together from all over the world in one place - at the start line. That is something that can never be packaged and mailed to me. For those reasons, I lifted my head, logged into my participant account and exercised my option to defer my entry to 2021.
I will not lie - that one stung a bit. It wasn't just about this race. It was about what this year was to represent for me. In real time, I turn 40 twelve days from today. This marathon was set to be one of the highlights of a new year, a new chapter for me. It was an experience to be shared with my fellow run group members and friends. I mulled over the last few weeks of training - and in all honesty I have not brought myself to end my training plan on Nike Run Club as yet - and I told myself this was what I was getting stronger, faster and better for. For October 11th 2020.
For now, my dreams of Chicago Marathon are on hold. I constantly remind myself that races are cancelled, but running never stops.
Sunday October 10th 2021. I got you Chicago. I hope you are ready for me.
#chicagomarathon #newgoals #disappointments #perspective #runblog #runnaturally #inspiretherunner #abbottworldmajors
