This morning I found myself reading an article on ESPN.com about Lauren Fleshman’s marathon debut in New York this weekend.
The article talks about her accomplishments, training, entrepreneurial ventures … and then all of a sudden it talks about poop. Basically her fear of “tummy issues”. And there in lies why I love Lauren Fleshman. She’s like the section of US Magazine, Stars: They’re just like US! Except she’s not teetering around on 7 inch stilettos picking out a cantaloupe at Whole Foods, she talking about running on a real level. Really real. Poop-level real.
Her poop talk is reason #324 why the running community is so awesome. I worry about poop! Lauren Fleshman worries about poop. And so do you. Admit it. It’s all part of being a runner, along with waking up early on Sunday to run 20 miles instead of brunch, experimenting until you find the right energy gel, making sure your lucky sports bra is washed and ready for race day, adding up weekly mileage, doing crazy stride drills in public, using the word 'fartlek', obsessively checking race day weather…all that good stuff.
It's great to be a part of this (big, bizarre) running tribe. And to you fellow running tribe members racing New York: Revel in the community of runners. Enjoy your moment and all the work you've put in to get there. Soak up the experience for everything it is. (Map out the porta-potties) And of course: GO FAST. TAKE CHANCES.
(That means you Meggie Smith, Elizabeth Bailey Weil and Erin Ward!!!)
