I understand physicial fitness and stamina are important to some, but this isn’t me. Proudly I have flunked PE at every educational level that I’ve been required to participate in. The Presidential Fitness test? Remember that? It was so bad! Collapsed on the gym mats my best friend and I watched the other kids run around and fly up the rope. In High School, I managed to argue “Walking” to be accepted as my sport. Mostly, I moped around looking for bugs, flowers, and mushrooms. In college, having failed the entrance fitness test, I had the astounding luck in my last months of school to have my weight room instructor hurt himself after I had exhausted all my allowed absences. Not only was I awarded the acknowledgment that ‘See, sports can really hurt you!’ but also rescue arrived in the form of an honor system sign up sheet. I signed in. I left the gym. I read books…HEAVY books. I tried to follow the spirit of the class time.

I’m not sure who the patron saint of the gym flunkers is. I just want to say thanks. I was really helped out of a tight spot. Maybe, it’s the Chinese buddha. Not someone I particularly revered, but he’s so happy! Who could argue with that?

Nowadays I do stretches and P.T. so I can walk! And I do Vision Therapy too. Turns out depth perception is key for things like kickball and dodge ball. So the last laugh is on me. And I’ve even signed up for this marathon…doesn’t it sound so athletic?

Chain Train of Thought. This was my inking stretching exercise today — It started out as a chain, then I started to pun around with Chains of thought vs. trains of thought. And how intertwined my experiences are.

And because we’re just about halfway through the marathon and I need to do some housekeeping to keep up with the program - well, I’m a little stressed and behind…so maybe my patron saint will help me out again!

Madeline Fan

Marathon Lessons