Penguin, I am

What's a Penguin? In the running lexicon, the word "Penguin" has come to mean a person who runs more for the joy of running than for recognition and public rewards. Some of us are perpetual Penguins. We are consumed by the pleasure of movement. --John "The Penguin" Bingham, Pied Piper of the second running boom

Bingham appears in weekly emails that I receive for my Half-Marathon race in September. I hadn't actually paid too much attention to him beyond the weekly inspirational words. But I went to seek him out on the interweb after Bob commented on my previous post where I said I thought I looked like a penguin.

Well, I really did pull that visual out of thin air. Or rather, the stale air in the condo gym... It's official. I hate the dreadmill. Herewith is a pledge to go outside, unless the weather sucks.

Amongst characteristics that make a "penguin" (and yes, these all apply to me):
* you recognize all the regular runners on your favorite route from behind
* you get passed on the uphill by a runner pushing a double baby jog stroller
* you have to memorize the route because you know that you will lose the back of the pack
((see the rest of list at JohnBingham.com))

I guess to take this theme further than I have to... groan now... we're only at the tip of the iceberg in terms of training. We'll watch the weeks melt by and only get stronger from here. Only 115 days left. A salute to the rest of you penguins out there.