Bad Hippie, No Patchouli!

So. I have a friend named Kari, and she runs. A lot. In fact, Kari just finished the Paris Marathon with another mutual friend, Laura. That just blows my mind. These two women completed a marathon. In PARIS. Together. And they raised money for Polio Plus in the process. They are my heroes.

But do you want to know the best part of this story? Here goes: Kari lives in Italy and Laura lives in New York. Still, they trained for this marathon together -- via blog, and convinced an even larger group of our friends to meet up in Paris for an impromptu reunion/post-marathon celebration. Viva la Internet. Go, technology!

So, how do I know Kari and Laura? I met them both 17 years ago, when we were all Rotary Exchange students in Belgium. I was introduced to them through another mutual friend, who now lives in Brooklyn. We survived and flourished together through a rather madcap year of excesses -- trips to Amsterdam, weekend hiking adventures in the Haute Fagnes, schooldays in a foreign country, the inevitable and much lamented exchange student weight gain, and a world-wind, two-week bus tour across Europe to round out our year. There exists a ton of photographic evidence of our year abroad -- and unfortunately, it is now posted on Facebook. (Oh, 1990’s hair. How I hate you.) Still, I hadn’t talked to these two women for 17 years -- not until I signed up for Facebook last summer to keep in touch with local soccer updates. (Important stuff, I know.) I "friended" my friend in Brooklyn (who had already friended Kari) and we reconnected via the magic of the World-Wide Web. Now, not a day goes by that I don’t e-mail Kari or talk to her via Facebook. And although we weren’t the closest of friends in Belgium (we knew each other and moved in the same crowd, though), we’ve gotten to know each other and become pretty close -- thanks in large part to technology.

Well, technology and running. See, Kari is passionate about running. And that passion is damn near infectious. She is also a former soccer nut, having coached and played for many years. So, knowing that I play midfield, she’s been urging me to run as a form of cross-training. No, I said. It’ll tear up my joints. No, it’ll hurt my knees. No, I don’t like running. Running is BORING. No way. Nuh-uh. (Stomp foot here for emphasis.)

But not running is only an option when you have elliptical machines available at your local gym for "alternative" cardio workouts. Unfortunately, when those machines are getting more and more use and you don’t have time to wait around for ‘em, it’s time to take the plunge. Time to climb on that treadmill and pray you don’t go flying off the back end of it like someone on "America’s Funniest Videos." Time to plug the iPod in and crank up the rap music and RUN. One foot in front of the other, over and over again. Maybe you’re not very fast, but you’re doing it. One foot in front of the other, until LO AND BEHOLD, you’ve completed 3.5 miles. A 5K. You’re a runner!

At least that’s how I decided to handle this winter’s almost devastating "Lack of an Elliptical Machine" crisis at my gym. Instead of glaring at the sweaty people on the elliptical machines, I decided give the treadmill a try. After a brief prayer to whatever patron saint watches out for novice treadmill-users (and protects them from embarrassing falls), I took a deep breath and started running. And I discovered that I LOVED it. Loved it -- almost (but not quite) as much as soccer. Sure, I’m not fast. Not at all. It would take me three times as long as Kari to run a 5K. But for someone who always thought running was boring unless a soccer ball was involved (and who could barely make it around the track last summer), this is a major improvement.

Not only do I love running, I’ve decided that I’m going to run a half marathon. Yup. Me. A half marathon. 13.1 miles. With Kari. In Italy. May 2010, baby. The exchange students are hooking up again for another madcap, excessive adventure -- after we run our race, that is.

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s inspiring to have another person egging you on to new heights of foolishness when you’re stuck in a rut. Soccer in the rain and mud? No problem -- that’s fun (or so I've come to believe). Training to run a half marathon -- voluntarily? Why the hell not? Fun! Talk about motivation. All it took was the unprecedented boom of social networking across the globe, a lack of elliptical machines in my local gym, and a big push from someone who I think kicks serious ass. A perfect storm, if you will, of gigantic (and wonderful) proportions.

And it rocks. Every sweaty, achy mile of it rocks. Now, pass the Tylenol while I give a shout out to Kari and Laura for their continuing motivation, and lace up my shoes for today’s run. Thanks, Kari! Thanks, Laura! You guys rock!