A Passion for Running

Can pain and laughter live in the same place? You bet they can!

Three years ago while training for my first marathon, Aaron, Barry and I were returning from, what was for me, a grueling 32km/20 mile long run. It was one of those runs where I needed every bit of courage and determination I could muster just to keep up.

To make this story make sense, I need to tell you that three weeks prior to this particular run I suffered a fairly major Illiotibial Band injury (if you’ve had IT band problems, you don’t need an explanation of how painful they can be) and that on every run that led up to this one, I was in a constant battle with my IT band. Each of those runs had question marks hanging over them. Would the IT band hold up? Would I get that awful knife-like stabbing pain in the side of my knee? Would I even be able to finish?

Okay, now we can flash forward again to the run…

My breathing was as deep, quick and eratic as it had ever been, my lungs were bursting, my heart was pounding like a big drum, my body was wracked with pain and all the while I worried about whether my IT band would raise it’s ugly head. In short, I was in a panic and was seriously questioning what the HELL I was doing training for a marathon!

So what on god’s green earth could be so funny about that you say? The answer is in one of the shortest conversations I’ve ever had with another soul. (by the way – if you thought this part of the story alone was funny you are one sick puppy!)

Me: (breathing out of control & arms and legs flailing out of control) “f*@k…f*@k!!!”
Aaron: (thinking my IT band troubles had returned) “Where does it hurt?”

Then, a 10 second pause followed while I attempted verbalizing SOMETHING!

Me (finally!): “everywhere!!”
Aaron (brief pause): “well – that’s good!”

Right then, I was struck by the ironic hilarity of the moment. It was GOOD I hurt everywhere because exhaustion was most definitely better than dealing with a terrible injury!!

I remember hearing an internal roar of laughter inside my head even though on the outside I continued in my physical agony for another five minutes of running. After the run, I shared my story with Aaron and Barry and we all had a big laugh.

It’s a memory that will stay with me till I drop dead (hopefully while running).