Does hitting the pavement brighten your day?

I like to hike, bike and walk. I’ll leave the running to others.

Sunday is the ASICS LA Marathon. Purportedly, it is going to be a scorcher of a day so the marathon kicks off 30 minutes earlier than usual, commencing at 6:55am.

Here’s the plan.

You awake and are ready to organize your thoughts and get your game face on around 4 am. You have the golden opportunity to run 26.2 miles in devastating heat from Dodger Stadium in downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica.

Thousands of runners are up close, crowding you in. You are fatigued, your body aches and it takes hours which could have been spent eating, shopping or sleeping.

Do not get me wrong. The sense of pride and accomplishment must be overwhelming. You have something to brag about for decades. I will pass.

I hate to run. I love to walk fast even speed walk, but running is hideous.

When I first met my husband, he would run every day and I wanted to share the moment. I am athletic, but running is not my thing. If I am going to be that breathless, I will keep it in the bedroom.

David ran the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. 56.1 grueling miles. It is the world’s oldest and largest ultra marathon. He would train year round.

If I even walked that route I would never stop talking about it. When I tell people he ran marathons, he almost appears embarrassed…crazy! I am thrilled beyond words when I participate in a 90 minute cycle class.

The LA Marathon has been a 30 year tradition. Along the course they have a multitude of bands entertaining the runners and masses. If Springsteen was performing I may run to that particular venue, but no where else.

I live very close to the finish line at the NYC Marathon. I enjoy strolling over to see runners finish, collapse, throw up, convulse, shriver and shake and then wrap themselves in silver space blankets…is it worth it?

I hang for a bit at the finish line…ogle the Kenyan runners, Katie Holmes, Teri Hatcher, tennis star, Caroline Wozniacki or whichever celebrity decides to participate that year and then I stroll to brunch.

My husband wants to run the Marathon des Sables through the Sahara desert. Average temperature is 100 degrees. You must carry everything you need on your back. You sleep in tents at night. The race last 6 days and you run a total of 156 miles.

I am encouraging him. I would travel over and hang in Marrrakech while he drags his ass through the desert, probably suffering heat stroke, thigh burn and dehydration. I’ll shop and wander the kasbah.

I need to stop writing. I am exhausted from picturing people running anywhere for longer than a 30 second sprint.

Good luck to all participants in Sunday’s LA Marathon…run like the wind. I’ll be reading at the beach.