Two weeks to go till the LA Marathon and I have been spending most of my time tapering and googling the word “taper” so that I can remember all the negative things that come with it and be able to endure the next two weeks. I am hoping that this means that I will come out of the race sane and somewhat in tact.

I’ve been thinking a lot about why I am running this race in the first place, it’s my second marathon and after my first marathon (LA Marathon 2009) I promised myself that I would never do another 26.2 mile race ever again. Then they announced the course… and now here I am two weeks away from impending marathon numero dos. That thought along brings me to asking myself my next question. Am I a marathoner? Like, officially?

Someone once told me that running a marathon makes you a marathoner no matter how many times you’ve done one. I usually like to tell people who used to run a lot but are currently benched due to injury that “once a runner always a runner” – but what really makes this true? For me, it’s just a mindset. The unwavering decision that you are making that commitment to wake up every morning and go through your training run. The decision that you will drop 2 bucks a pop for gross gunk to shove down your throat every hour that is aptly named “Gu”… not to mention the wholehearted commitment to stretching in weird poses, submitting your body to torture devices like the foam roller, the stick, body glide, silly outfits… the list goes on.

I still ask myself these questions and although I know that my marathons will continue to be few and far between (I do love a good 13.1 race) I’ll have to say yes, if you’ve ever watched the Spirit of the Marathon and cried multiple times (men included) then you have answered that question too. Tomorrow: more tapering. Oh, and in case you were wondering I just received my marathon BIB# = 6546 Runner/Walker, so watch out for it!