In less than 6 days JohnnyMarathon will have finished his final
marathon for some time. The weather is expected to be about 30
degrees to warm to my liking but oh well; this is just something else
we will all deal with. I am very much looking forward to taking on
the mind challenging course known as the Boston Marathon. I have no
clue why it is called the “Boston” Marathon. I think only like the
last mile is in Boston. There is Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham,
Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline, and then Boston. There is the
Stylianos Statue in Hopkinton, the Ashland Clock Tower, the Framingham
Train Depot (last year there was some asshole spectator smoking a
cigarette here, I was sure to thank him), Natick Town Common, the
famous girls from Wellesley College giving out kisses (this is where
the numerical half way point is, but as a runner we know we are no
where near the half way point, the Newton Fire Station, which we all
dread because we know that the past 17 miles of downhill are about to
change for the most challenging hills of all marathons, the Newton
Hills, culminating with infamous Heartbreak Hill. Heartbreak Hill is
part of 4 continues up hills which start at mile 18ish and last until
the actual Heartbreak at mile 20.5. And this is where the half way
mark truly is. But as we fight the hills we pass the Johnny Kelly
Statue. Then past all the drunken co-eds of Boston College, through
Brookline and Coolidge Corner and then from there we see our ray of
the light, the famous Red Sox CITGO sign. With one last turn after
Kenmore Square, the most famous left turn leads onto Boylston Street
and there is where you can find the elusive Unicorn. The symbol of
the Boston Marathon.
Thank you for all those who have donated and shown your support in my
goal to raise $6000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I am not
happy where the fundraising is but very grateful. I am about $2000
away from my goal. So if you have yet to donate, the time is now; not
sure what you are waiting for. http://www.johnnymarathon.com/
Many of my supporters have been asking, “How is John Markiewicz
doing?” I have been very resilient in opening up. The reason for
creating such a character as JohnnyMarathon was to give me an avenue
to hide my emotions and my feelings. This marathon, running with Dana
Farber, is not about John Markiewicz, but about the lives we all shall
touch with out ever seeing a face. But tonight I will try to express
a little of what John Markiewicz has been going through.
I sat yesterday in a secluded part of Central Park known as the
Conservatory Water. It was early, around 10:30am. I just finished a
very fast and extremely painful 4-mile race. My knee is gone. Why I
decided to run sub 7-minute miles I don’t know. Maybe to prove to
myself that this injury wasn’t there. Maybe to prove to myself that I
could still run sub 7-minute miles. Maybe it was self-destruction so
I have an excuse when I run shit on Monday. Maybe it was a chance to
hurt the knee so bad that I couldn’t run Monday. Maybe it was the
anger that has recently been building inside that just gave me the
negative attitude that I have been working so hard the last year to
get away from. I don’t know but the truth is I am scared. Chicago I
was scared because I did not believe in myself and so many had and
there were weeks of HARD work invested. This year I am scared because
I have no clue what is wrong with my knee. I am scheduled for another
MRI the day after I get back from Boston with Dr.Hershon, the Yankee
team doctor. But what is he going to say; I have a torn meniscus?
Yippy, simple fix. But I know there is more. There is still the
haunting thought that I have bone decay. Frustrated, anger, hatred,
hopelessness. I want to explode. I want to just go and fun for hours
pain free. Maybe because of the personal turmoil I have been going
through the last 5 months. I have no clue, but inside John Markiewicz
is an ugly mess. This is not what I want my supporters to know or
hear but there it is. I have no clue how my coach Barbara who is a
world class athlete has been able to stay so positive and patient as
she deals her own “unknown” injuries for the last 2 years. It seems
like yesterday I did my first 20-mile run with her as we prepared for
Boston in 2008. In reality, that was the last time her and I ever ran
together. I have no clue how our coach at Dana Farber, Jack, can go
from winning the Boston Marathon, to not being able to run at all. By
no means am I comparing myself to such great athletes but how we all
fall and the struggles we have to get back to where we were. I was
talking to Barbara today, some final preps for Boston. She was
thinking of doing a 5K in Boston the day before the marathon. But in
her mind, and I completely agree, why do something if you know you are
not going to be satisfied with the results. If it weren’t for my
commitment to Dana Farber, I would have pulled out of this marathon
back in February. But the theme of the Boston Marathon is “Its all
about the Promises”. This marathon there will be no coach waiting for
me at recovery, there will be no love to kiss, and there will be no
reason to celebrate. There will be mom, dad, and Liz; and they will
understand.
Today at work I found myself discussing with a colleague, who has ran
one half marathon, about the races I have done. And in conclusion,
simple put; this is my thing. I live and work to race. Ask anyone
who knows me.
So back to JohnnyMarathon, our Greek God. Dana Farber has been
getting so much press recently it is awesome! I personally have
recently appeared on the FRONT page of a Westchester newspaper with an
article of myself and another Somers alumni running for charity.
http://www.ncnlocal.com/news/ncn_news1.asp
While I was sitting near the rented power sailboats Saturday I was
reading the NY Times and there was a great story of soldiers in
Afghanistan training for Boston in the name of Dana Farber. Please
take the time to read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/sports/11vecsey.html?scp=2&sq=boston%20marathon&st=cse
So going into the weekend much has to happen prior. I remember last
year talking my team mate Lindsay that the week going in flies by
because of our personal lives and it is always a busy time of year.
Well, thank god it is the same this year. With the Yankee Home Coming
dinner tonight, Opening Day tomorrow, games all week, trying to get
all my clients in and the drive to the city that I hate to Love. The
distractions are welcomed, because without them I would try to run my
knee right off.
JohnnyMarathon is coming in a few lbs over where I should be. I have
been trying to lose some weight but for some my reason I have an oral
fixation to food. I was with a good friend Carrie the other night and
she commented on how skinny I was looking; man she has no idea what I
looked like in October then. I feel heavy and out of shape.
There is so much I want to write but the luster is gone, the hope is
gone, but I still remain dedicated to the cause.
I must apologize for the negative attitude but I can’t be blowing
rainbows everyday when there is such a cloud on the inside. And
ironically, every thing personally in my life, I can laugh at this,
but my swagger is back, go figure.
Enough for now. Please do your part and donate to help change a life.
In less than one week, there are no more egos, there is no more John
or JohnnyMarathon, and there is no more Greek God; for 4 hours I am a
hero. A hero that lives amongst those that is never seen. Last year
I asked many of you to go out and do something that is selfish-less.
Do something that you may never see or benefit from the outcome. That
is what I ask all of you. Whether it is to donate to
http://www.johnnymarathon.com/ or anything else; just do it. Those who know
me understand my mission in life and that is to inspire the
uninspired.
I have attached pictures of my singlet for this year’s race. I have
been fortunate enough to have many supporters donate enough to have
their name/ company printed on my jersey. Thank You!
Please help me and Dana Farber complete our Mission; Mission Possible
A World Without Cancer.
Well its after 11:30 pm and I need to go make my pasta for the week.
Tschuss,
JohnnyMarathon
“Lord may you refresh our weary bodies and our minds.”
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