The Road Less Traveled

Warning - possible deciphering of offensive language.

DEDICATED TO ALL ATHLETES WHO ARE OFF THE CARDING LIST THIS YEAR

Once more onto the breach dear friends, once more. The ebs and flows of the track season have come full circle and now, as the weather gets colder and the days shorter, it's the perfect time to start grinding out the old routine because as I stare at my long tights and thermal sweatshirts (from Saucony!) I'm forced to ask myself the same, recycled questions: "How bad to you want it, MacLean?", "Am I really this crazy of a runner?" and "Am I really going to be a broke-ass-bitch chasing her dreams for yet, another year?"

My answer, as always, is: Yep. Yep, another year on the road less traveled. Which, I'll say, has been great. My only complaint is that I wish the person who went out there and recommended the road less traveled even spent a little time commenting on how hard it is to walk down this shitty road because lately I've been doing some serious f-ing bush-whacking! The woods are not lovely dark and deep Mr. Frost, they're thick and hard to get through and you're probably going to get lost so just move on and stop looking at them!

And then a memory came to me today that actually made it all start to feel better.

When I was 5, maybe 7, probably 5 - my mom asked me for the first time what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said, Mom, you know what I've got it, I know what the best job in the world is.... I'm going to be a priest. (?!?!?) (In my defense, people just bring you money every Sunday...it's not rocket science...or science) But Mom, like always, kept me humble and said, oh no sorry honey - only boys can be priests. WTF! Even a kid knows that's discrimination! But me, taking every set back as an opportunity, said well then Mom, I will be the first woman priest!

That I didn't do ... but I did carry my girls can do anything boys can do attitude with me and I'm now an engineer and training to achieve sports' top level.

So I guess, when it comes down to it, I was just born with this never-ending, vaulting ambition to achieve the impossible.

And so my answer, to myself, as to why I'm spending all this time crawling my way down this GD road is - I have no reason but a woman's reason. I said I'm going to do it so I'm going to do it.

A friend and mentor of mine, Charles Scarrow, once told me that when I step out onto that track, be prepared for battle. Charlie... preparation begins.

Always yours,

Leanna - fueled by RIVALUS (http://www.rivalus.net/)