What I think about when I think about running

You have a lot of time to think when you are running. People say that running is the best therapy, and it's true - several hours of pounding the pavement and your mind better have something to touch on. I find that I can't plan too much what I'm going to think about, it kind of just pops out of nowhere and then I'm pretty much on a mental joyride while my body is doing its thing. I've come up with amazing come-backs, for example, on long runs. Or planned a week of to-dos. Or had an entire argument, from both sides, and realized what needs to be said. My brain can really focus on one issue for a couple of hours and really run it through my system until I feel like I'm a thinking machine. I find a lot of clarity with sweaty, uninterrupted thinking. You should try it sometime.

My original running partners, Kate and Catherine, used to plan our running agendas when we were training for a marathon together. We always ran the first few miles together, before our paces staggered a bit, and the agenda was usually as follows: 1) Boys, 2) Work, 3) Travel. We could have solved the problems of the world together, but I guess there is only so much running you can actually do.

Running is great therapy because of the thinking that can be done; it's also a great empowering experience because of the people you run with. I am running with a great group of people, all helping to support Bottom Line. It truly helps to have someone cheering you on when you are faltering a bit mid-run, and to have people there to clap you across the finish line. But I also have to acknowledge the people I think about that get me out the door and that are in my thoughts during a lot of solo moments of my training. So this one is for my ladies, my running partners and friends. Training for a marathon is hard, and, for me, it would be impossible without them.

I think, too, about how impossible it would be to get through an experience like college without the same support network. Knowing that Kate and Catherine were somewhere in front or behind me during a run made a huge difference for me. I can only imagine that having the support of Bottom Line, just knowing someone is out there to lend a hand or an ear, makes the same difference to some of the students I'm running for.

So, thank you to everyone that has supported me and Bottom Line students so far. Life is a marathon, and marathon's are hard. Thank you for the help, the food for thought, the inspiration and the love!

9 weeks and $3500 more to go...