I can hardly believe that my next race is a month away. I remember the day where doing one race was a big deal and also very much a rare occurrence. Now, it's a lifestyle. I'm a runner. I'm an athlete. I race.
Why? I don't race to win or to prove my awesomeness. Compare me to others who join in on the very same races as I do, I'm a middle-of-the-pack average runner with nothing awesome to prove whatsoever. But the very act of choosing to race, training to race, finishing my races, and lacing up to race over and over again, I'd say that in of itself is indeed awesome and makes me stand-out in a crowd Racing keeps my running focused. I run for joy and I run for health. If I had no races to prep for, I would run for these reasons and be perfectly content. But when there's a race to prepare for, there's a goal to be set. And thus one other reason to run comes about organically: I run to continuously improve.

I have run this race twice before: in 2003 and in 2004. When I ran these races, I was a much different fitness level than I am today in 2012. Oddly the 8 or 9 years that have passed and "aged" me have strengthened me and made me fitter, leaner, and meaner (but still kind-hearted, don't worry). Running my first and second half marathons when I was younger was such a big deal for me. I remember how proud of myself I was. And it was the fact that that pride never faded that I was able to convince myself a few years ago that I had it in me to get fit again, run again, and accomplish the same, if not greater things as a runner. If I could do it then, I most certainly could do it now. And I have indeed proven that so.