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Ian Kulin: Why I Run
Why I run: I sometimes ask myself that very question. My first marathon was the New York City Marathon in November 1995. The challenge to run was made to me by my friend Ann who was living in New York, turning 50 and wanted to have a decisive event to celebrate her Semi-Centennial. At the time I was living in Africa so we agreed to train separately but run and finish the race. It was a cold race but the fans were unbelievable and I was hooked. We both finished, our times were irrelevant, what mattered is we had achieved something that most people never achieve in their lives. We completed a run of 26.2 miles and were now members of a fairly exclusive club. Today that club is growing with people running marathons in numbers not thought possible twenty years ago. The people you meet are from all walks of life, all ages and abilities. There is no discrimination to race, color, sex or ability. We all run and we love it. My professional career has given me the opportunity to run in a variety of locations. I have run in many states, countries and even continents, it is the best remedy to jet lag and a perfect method to learn about the local area. I belong to two running clubs; the "L" Street Running Club in Boston and Palm Beach Roadrunners. I am presently living in Florida but having spent five years in Boston I want to keep connections to the home of the most prestigious Marathon in America and my friends still there. The challenges of running a marathon begin with the 5:00 am wake up for a training run months before the actual race. There is something very special about watching the sun rise knowing you have already done ten miles but still have another ten to go. The physical and mental feelings you get from running last days after you run. This is not just an endorphin high (which is great) but you actually become a different person. You are your biggest competitor and each day you strive to be better than you were the day before. Shaving a few seconds off a personal best in a race to just finishing a training run ahead of that guy who always looks like he is out for a casual stroll. It is addictive, there is no cure and the more you do it, the better you will feel. Why do I run? Because running has made me a better person, physically, mentally and spiritually. I will be running the A1A half again this year in preparation for the full in Boston. Hopefully I will improve my race times in both from last year's results. Ian Kulin
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