half crazy

You'd have to be to get up in the wee hours of the morning and wait in the predawn chill with a 17,000-strong sea of runners who have all come out to see how well their mettle and endurance stand up to a good distance run.  The air was brisk this morning and the wind, as is usually the case at Broad Street, tenacious, but stepping into this throng was like stepping into a bee hive -- warm -- buzzing at the same time with conviviality and purposeful intensity.

Not a common occasion for me and only the second time that I have run the half marathon event.  (Do two halves make a whole?)  Running for me has always been about just getting outside, but it is tremendous to be a part of something so much bigger than my own "trip" -- each person bringing their own energy.  Multiply that exponentially by the force of this enormous crowd.

That I made a nice new PR was less rewarding to me than the overall experience of running with such hearty participants and spectators.  If you want to feel like a champion, you need only lace up your sneaks, put on your game face and make your way the best way you know how.  So many show up just to share the journey and cheer you on your way.  It's impossible not to return the favor ... and for all you might leave out there on the road, you take away so much more.