I've never been so great at long distance running. In high school, we'd have to run 2.5km while they timed us, and that last 500 m was always pure hell. Lungs burning, legs like rubber, lightheaded from lack of oxygen.

I could see the finish line, I was just never sure if I could actually move my body down the sidewalk to that space... to the cheering, the stopwatch, the water, the exhilaration of being finished (endorphins!). The time to rest.

By the end of May, I'd figured out the trick: You just have to force some breath into your lungs, put your head down, and finish the fucking race.

11:37 a.m. - 2003-02-09