To Any Runner Who Thinks They're "Too Slow,"
And you get the lows.
Even running’s so-called “downsides” are yours for the taking. You are not too slow to enjoy the hurts-so-good pain of rolling around on a giant piece of foam or a tiny lacrosse ball. You earned those knots and aches and pains. You own them. They are yours now.
You revel in your success.
You are not too slow to chug chocolate milk and remember doing the same thing when you were 7 years old. You are not too slow to debate the merits of Gu versus gummies versus peanut butter–stuffed dates. Or to sit with your running buddies at a post-race brunch, reflecting on every twist and turn and congratulating each other’s new PRs. You are not too slow to be ridiculously happy for each other and eat a giant stack of chocolate chip pancakes at the same time.
You can set new goals, too.
You are not too slow to run your first ultra. Your first marathon. Your first half. Your first 5K. Your first mile.
You, my friend, are not too slow to be a runner. You already are one.
