What Is REALLY Going On?

Something's in the air, or water, or in my head. Being an admitted head case, it's probably the latter.

I've been running for awhile now, been involved with several training groups and there has always been a big group of eager "newbies" ready to tackle the marathon, half-marathon or maybe their first 5k. But I have never, never seen so many people coming out of the woodwork and lacing up their new Nikes, Sauconys, Asics, Mizunos or whatever as this spring. I do tend to embellish events at times and maybe I'm just an old drama queen..er I mean king but this borders on a running explosion rather than a running revolution.

The training group I'm currently with SOLD OUT the training program for the Soldier Field 10 miler that was held Memorial Day weekend. And, they had to put a cap on the training entrys for this summer's half and full marathon here in the Windy City. The Chicago Marathon registration was increased to 45,000 this year from last year's 40,000 and the damned thing filled up a month earlier than last year.

People have always been a bit curious about my running and quite often bring it up in casual conversations. You know the questions such as do you get high running? How many marathons? Are you training now? How far did you go Saturday? What do you eat? Do your knees hurt? And of course the two inevitable questions..."if I may ask, how old are you?" and "how in the hell do you smoke and run?"

Those questions continue. But there is a big exodus of people, for some reason mostly women and a few good men, coming up to me with a big smile when I come in from a run with sweat dripping from my bald head and matter-of-fact stating that "I'm signed up for the marathon, my first one." "Well, let's rock," I say.

One of my editors at work, a woman I think around 40 something, says she's getting the running bug but isn't going to give up yoga. "Never give up yoga," I say, "it's a great complement to your running."

Last week I got on the elevator in my building with a freakin beautiful tall leggy girl who looked at me in my running togs and gave me a big beautiful smile. Hell even I, the guy, was envious of her good looks. Naturally, I got a little light headed and was wishing I had packed a really bold, manly deodorant in my fanny pack. I was taken aback and sort of smiled back expecting her to turn away but NO! And she said, "you wouldn't happen to be training for the marathon, would you?" "Well, yes I am." "Me too, it's my first one, I'm turning 40 this year so why not." Ah crap, to be 40 again!

There is another young woman in my building training for her second thon and she wants to run with me when we get to the high mileage part of training because "it gets boring then and harder." That's sure as hell true!
Foxy Shelly at work is going for her first thon, a young man named Ron is new to our group and training for the half but he already has a sore foot. Then there's Curt, big strapping young man who wants to run fast, gunning for his first half. Damn he works hard, very proud of him. And my favorite newbie is Jessica, my son's squeeze. Jess is kicking butt, taking names and had this goofy idea of keeping the running going over the winter and do the Walt Disney Marathon on January 13 too. Sheesh! Get over it girl. So now I'm registered for the damned goofy Disney thing in early 2008 and I'm not sure I'll survive the summer.

The running trail along Lake Michigan early each Saturday morning looks like a darned locust swarm during a hot dry summer on the High Plains. The poor bikers are freaked out trying to dodge crazy-assed marathon trainees popping all flavors of gel packs or shot blocks and discussing the merits of gatorade over tap water all while trying to stay two abreast and avoid tripping the traveler in front of them.

I started running in the early 90s, not because I was getting old but because I wanted to see if I could do it. I did it and I'm still doing it because no one will let me quit!!!!

It's really hard living in my head, but at times it's pretty interesting.