Capitol City Marathon and a Writing Prompt for May 21

At 29, I'd been running regularly for a few years. At that time, I'd built up to five and six mile stretches. Awareness that I was nearly thirty gnawed at my calm, until one Saturday when I found an answer while skimming through Runner's World. I signed up immediately for the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco. That was four years ago. Since that time, I 've run five half marathons and Bay to Breakers, and yesterday, I ran my third full marathon. I did not run fast. Fast is a place I've yet to explore, but I did finish strong in 5:23.
I started running my senior year of college out a deep desire for momentum and deeper desire for change within. At first, I couldn't run for more than 15 minutes or so without my lungs ceasing up. I'd run home, brew some coffee and sip until my breathing returned to normal. I was not deterred. There was a move in there to California that threw me off schedule, but once I settled in, I returned to running. I also began practicing yoga every day. I'd practiced for several years without regularity. A shift was certainly happening in me. I no longer wheezed when I ran. I rarely suffered the attacks of hay fever type allergies that had become a part of my sniffling persona.

Today, I feel great, but "shifty" again. I'm done with the marathon for a while (40, perhaps?). I've found that I prefer the half marathon and want my daily runs to be more free and personal, not always part of some training goal. Besides, I don't like the ultra-marathon culture that's popular now. One thing is for sure though, I'll never stop running of my own will and there were plenty of seasoned, wrinkly old runners on the course yesterday to inspire me. There was one guy who was running his 790th marathon. Wow. Nuf said.

Writing Prompt for May 21:

Road maps OR pudding. It just has to be in there somewhere.

Write for thirty minutes without stopping. Post your response.

Happy Writing!