Bonkfighters: Yes We Can!

Without regard to the policies and merits of the candidate for whom you did or did not vote; this is a great story:

About an hour ago, I met a woman at the gym who is seventy-one and training for her first marathon. She was on the treadmill next to me, and we struck up a conversation during my cool-down. “Have you done a marathon, honey? You’re fast.” she said to me.

“Thanks. Uh, sure,” I said, “I’ve run a lot of races. How about you?”

“I’m not very fast, but I’m training for my first marathon. I just want to finish it!”

“Good for you! What made you decide to do a marathon?” I asked. I always ask this because I love asking this question of people, as the answers are always inspiring and warm-fuzzied. Even so, the answer I was about to get is now my new favorite.

The woman grinned this gorgeous smile and laughed and told me about all sorts of things she’s seen in her seventy-one years, and pointed out moments of racism and sexism she’d encountered in her life, and some work she did during the Civil Right Movement and how sometimes, years later, something negative or set-backy would happen and she’d wonder if it made any difference at all. Then, she said that she felt so young and so happy to see Obama run for President– much less win, and felt so much had been worthwhile, that she wanted to do something off of her “big to do list” to celebrate. So, she’s going to walk the Chicago Marathon next year.

(I realize there’s no crying at the gym, but I’m not made of stone, people.)

After all of this lovely conversation, I left only to realize I didn’t even catch her name. Fight the bonk, awesome, feisty, joyful, seventy-one-year-old woman at the gym. Fight the bonk.

I hope I see her at the gym again, and I really hope I see her at the Chicago Marathon finish line next year.