"Alexa, set alarm for 5:20 am," I said laying in bed already rethinking what I was doing the next morning. I am going to bed at 9 pm on a Saturday to wake up early and run with 40,000 plus people. Who does that? Why do we do that? What is the end goal? What does this accomplish?
I got up and got changed. Didn't shower because why would I? That would be dumb. I got on the subway ten minutes later. I was sitting there thinking to myself that the faster I got to the start the faster I could be done with this race.
I got to the start and the green corral was ready to go. Even though people were pushing to get in front of me like we were at a concert, I didn't care. I cross the start and started to run.
Of course, the first song on my five hour long running playlist was "7/11" by Beyoncé. I got in the zoned. I was ready to focus.
Mostly...focused. I danced the whole way. If I was going to do this run, I was going to make it mine. I danced and pointed to people. A few shimmy movements here and there. There was a special energy that can't be matched. Running through a city that has taught you so much was powerful. I haven't been here for long, but it was a different feeling. I saw City Hall and ran past it. I ran past choices I have made. I ran past choices I didn't make. I was lost in my music and my feet pushing forward. It wasn't about time for me; it was about me. It was about letting go and focusing on myself. It was about living and breathing. It was about going forward.
