SPEED

Tomorrow is the 41st running of the New York City Marathon.  Haile Gebrselassie from Ethiopia holds the marathon world record with a time of 2:03:59.  Amazing!  I ran a half marathon in 2:17:00.  Keeping perspective I suppose I jogged the half but it sure felt like running to me.  

I was a spectator at three marathons:  The Marine Corps Marathon the year that Oprah Winfrey ran and yes we did see her.  The New York City Marathon to watch my friend Denise run.  And in May of this year I watched Mike run his first in the Pittsburgh Marathon.  One might think it is boring standing there just watching runners go by but it somehow sucks you in.  It somehow looks easy.  It somehow makes you want to run.  Some of the top runners in this year's field (both men are women) are not in their 20's but rather in their mid to late 30's.  Amazing!

I am pretty sure that I will never run a marathon.  I know it is great to set goals and that would be quite an accomplishment.  So my hats off to everyone running tomorrow ... I have great respect and amiration for your task at hand.

We were at the Philadelphia Zoo this summer and one of our favorite animals is the cheetah ... did you know the cheetah is the fastest land animal.  I always wondered why their enclosures seem so much less secure and are very open.  Turns out they have poor climbing abilities.  They are amazing too.

So sister, in the spirit of inspiration, what races are we going to "run" in 2011?

T