Finding My "Greatness"

The new Nike campaign has challenged everyone to find their "greatness".  There was a point in my life where I believed that "greatness" was an elite concept where some people had it and some never would. To me greatness wasn't a choice. Greatness was an Olympian, race winners, endurance athletes; something you were genetically prone to. Average joe's certainly didn't make the cut. I never thought to myself, "You could be great." What I should have been thinking is "why not??".
My skewed view of "greatness" was probably a direct result of low high school/college self esteem. I was always average and middle of the pack, not being able to race well to save my life. After college I started running. Not training, running. I'd run for fun around town, losing myself in rhythmic footsteps and music. I began challenging myself to go an extra mile or take a hillier route. I rekindled my love of the sheer freedom you feel when losing yourself; its only by losing myself that I found my "greatness".
"Greatness"can't be quantified or defined. Its ever changing with loose limits and barriers that are meant to be overcome. My "greatness"will start with my current project and then explode! My passion for running will ignite my current limits and fuel my ambitions. I never thought I'd hit a slump so bad that I'd stop running for months. Now that I'm getting back on track, I never want to stop. Quitting isn't an option.
In the spring I signed up for a marathon. I told myself that I'd train to run a Boston qualifying time. Shortly after an injury, I became ill and thats when the wheels fell off and emotional wall caused my running to halt. I haven't ran more than 14miles consecutively all year. In the past six months, 13.5mi is the most I've gone out in a single shot. This is far from the "greatness" I had in mind this past spring but "greatness" changes. I've decided that my current "greatness" will be upholding promises. I signed up for the Harrisburg Marathon on November 11. Thats two weekends from now. I've been running for four weeks. Some of you are probably thinking, "Whoa! Don't be a retard and run something you haven't even remotely trained for." but I have to. I owe it to myself. Tomorrow I'm aiming for my first 16mi run this year. Next week I'll aim for a repeat and come November 11, I'll aim to finish. Yes, this is a faint version of my original goal but lets face it, there is no way I can hold a quick pace for a marathon right now. Quitting isn't the "greatness" legacy I want to leave behind.
Right now, I'm working on getting back into running shape. Right now my "greatness" is accomplishing this small feat. Later, my "greatness"will be running DC for a BQ. Greatness isn't failure, its the courage to keep trying. Bring it "greatness", I'm not longer afraid of you.

Update: I went out for an easy 16 with my wingman, Mr. 140.6, this morning. My projected finishing time in H-burg will be an embarrassing 4:30-4:40. With little preparation, its probably the best I can do. Step 1: Finish it. Step 2: Train Strong. Step 3: Run fast in DC!!! woot woot