First Things First

The gun start of the Condura Skyway Marathon is just hours away, but for some reason, I am not yet fully engaged.  Right now, I just don't have the degree of focus that I recall I had as I approached previous marathons. Proof: I am not even writing about Condura now. Admittedly, I am already looking ahead to what the future holds after tomorrow.

Perhaps too far ahead, actually. There is the BDM 52k Test Run next Saturday. Less than three weeks after that, will be the real thing: BDM 102. After BDM (if I still have legs and feet), I will be doing the Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon on June 26. Before KL, though, some time around the end of April or in early May, will be the New York City Marathon lottery. I am a lottery hopeful, and I will finally find out whether I will be hitting the Big Apple in November to run one of my dream marathons. Of course, sprinkled in between all of these will be the Philippine Association of Ultrarunners (PAU) ultra runs and other ultramarathons that I also hope to experience this year, and perhaps a few other destination marathons here and abroad.

But for now, there is a race that must be run. The Skyway looms large and proud in the horizon. I must train my sights on the task at hand rather than day-dream about races and runs that have yet to pass. I am just an average recreational runner - no room for error and definitely no margin for hubris. A marathon is a marathon, 42.195 kilometers is 42.195 kilometers, no matter where and when it is run. Respect the distance, as the learned veterans say.

May the gods of running smile upon all of us tomorrow, and allow us to cross the finish line and see what lies beyond.