(no subject)

[marathoner452]

Over the weekend I went home for my favorite race, the Run to Remember 5k through Baltimore. My favorite race because I will never forget-how could I, when that day defines so much of the world as it is now, and so much of my life? I remember reading an article not long after September 11th describing us as the 9/11 generation, and I believe it. I never would have taken international politics, religious fundamentalism, or my current violence and non-violence philosophy class if the world hadn't been turned upside-down that day. My generation would not have a defining moment, however tragic, to look back to and say "I remember where I was, what I was doing..." Possibly I would never have started running, not marathons anyhow. My first 1/2 marathon was in NYC, my first marathon was in DC-advertised as a race for anyone who was feeling patriotic. I may never have found my inner social activist-with the anti-war movement back in the spring of 2003. It's impossible to imagine who I would be had those planes not crashed three weeks into my freshman year of college.
New college students ask me from time to time how hard it was to adjust to college life, asking for advice. I tell them that it's going to be a heck of a lot easier for them-they won't have to deal with terrorist attacks turning their peaceful world upside-down three weeks in.
Okay, that's enough remembering for entry. Back to studying for me-I have so much reading to do that it's not even funny. And for those of you (if anyone actually reads this) following my marathon progress, I'm no longer running the Baltimore Marathon. I'm running the half, and I'm not running another marathon until I can enjoy the level of training enough to not hurt the last 8 miles. Inflicting pain on oneself is not a smart idea-the half marathon should be challenge enough.

~Bethany