The Lottery

What I'm about to tell you is something that happened to me just nine days ago, April 27, 2011...  Nine days ago as I was leaving school from student-teaching, I took my phone out of my bag and noticed that I had a push notification from my Chase application.  It read something to the effect of:  "Your Chase Checking has deducted $196.00 from your account at 2:00 PM."  I felt my stomach drop to the ground as I thought, "Oh, NO!  Did overdraft sufficient funds from my account?!"  As I began to panic - all while I'm walking to my car - I quickly entered my password to check the account for myself.  I think my heart stopped when I read:  "NYC MARATHON ENTRY FEE" I thought to myself, "Is this really happening?!  Does this mean that I made it through the lottery?!"  I honestly did not know what to think first... I was mostly concerned with the fact that my checking account had a negative balance and I had to figure out some way to repair that, which I did about 20 minutes after the fact... but, regardless, THE NEW YORK CITY MARATHON?!

 Holy cow.  I remembered I had entered the lottery for the marathon MONTHS ago, but to be quite honest, I never actually thought that my name would be selected in the drawing my first year entering!  I was stunned, shocked, but mostly PETRIFIED.  I didn't know who to call first.  I received many mixed reactions to what I just found out.  My sister laughed at me as I told her this story.  I believe she said to me, through her hysterics, "I'll be praying for you! HAHAHA!" Thanks for the support!  Right on!  After the laughing, she did however become very excited for me.  When I told Vinny the news, he started congratulating me.  "Congratulations?!  Vinny, do you realize that I am going to DIE that day?!  November 6, 2011 is going to be the day that I DIE." - A bit dramatic, I know.  It's all part of my charming humor.  While Vinny was congratulating me, and my sister was laughing at me, my father and mother was flourishing me with kisses and hugs saying how proud they were.  

Throughout all of the positive reactions that I was getting from people as the next two days started to unfold, I was still trying to process the part about the marathon, of course, being 26.2 miles.  Twenty-six.  Point.  Two.  Wow.  I guess you and I both know what I'll be doing this summer... a whole lot of running and training - which is not so different from what I'm used to doing during my summers seeing that I've been a NCAA Division II athlete for the past 4 years of college, however, there will be a tremendous difference in my training - cross country training and marathon training are two completely different worlds.

As soon as student-teaching comes to an end, there will be a new beginning - a new chapter of my life will start.  Running this marathon is something that I have always wanted to do ever since I was a freshman in high school.  To be given even the chance to do this is mind blowing, yet I feel as though this may very well be the biggest thing that has ever happened to me.  This blog will specifically highlight every step of my journey and training as I try to find a "clue" as to how to run "26.2."  The purpose of this is so that I will have another way for me to journal my runs and training both, written in my notebook, and electronically typed on this site.

So here's to New York City and the marathon.  I'm in to finish.