The Little Jewish Engine That Could

  In a few hours I will embark on what promises to be one of the single greatest moments of my life.  That is something that didn't fully hit me until I wrote that sentence.  Most of the people reading this already know that I am running in the New York City Marathon.  Fuckin' A, right?

  How did I get here?  One day...a year of training all culminates in one beautiful, brisk Fall day.  Nerves are running through my body that I haven't felt in years.  The usual jitters before you have to do something important, the typical ideas that pop into your head.  Will you be awful?  Can you finish?  Will you get hurt?  Are you strong enough to be my man?  

  These are silly thoughts.  I have worked my ass off this year between the hills, the heat, my crossfit training, a bad cold that kept me out of commission for weeks, the thousands of dollars raised for my beautiful sponsor charity.  

  And here I sit.  Marathon's Eve.  In the Brooklyn apartment of two of my closest friends Sam & Elaine.  I am fully Carbo-Loaded.  I am pumped up.  I am also sensitive as all hell.  I went to pick up my runner's bib yesterday and I was already overcome with emotion.  Listening to the different languages being spoken and seeing the array of generations of runners waiting in line was magical.  There was an energy of goodness.  Thousands of dreams come to life.

  When I lived in New York this was always a fantastic day in the city.  There's an excitement and air of positivity.  All the runners' hard work is being rewarded by cheers of support, by love really.  I will wear the word "Love" on both sides of my jersey in honor of this.  Elaine has kindly written this in block letters for me, along with my last name because I'm really narcissistic like that.

  Tomorrow I run for myself, a day of basqing in the empowerment of it all.  I get to check this off of my bucket list.  But it isn't just for me.  It's also for the generous people who donated to my cause to get me here and all of those who pushed me, loved me, guided me through my short life thus far.  I run for my friends, past and present.  My parents, who never EVER quit believing in the power I have in me.  The rest of my family, who love me no matter what.  The children who are benefiting from the money I raised.  Children who couldn't be living as active lifestyles without the funding they received.  I run for the city itself, always in my heart.  While I may have left for the other coast, I have to show my girl NYC that I still love her the best.  But, mostly, I am running 26.2 miles for the memory of my Grandma Tillie, a lifelong New Yorker, a staunch advocate of all the things I ever accomplished in my life and a hell of a lady.  She, more than anyone else, would have loved to have seen this day.  And she'll be there somehow, I know she will.

  I thank the Universe for blessing me with the miraculous endurance and willpower I have mustered up this year.  I am grateful for everything I have.  Tomorrow that will include the memory of running in the 41st New York City Marathon.