The alarm sounded at 4:30 that morning. It was nothing new for me, as anyone who has trained for a marathon, knows this is normal.. So I got up and put on my running clothes as I'd done a hundred times before.. except this time I was not running. I would merely be a spectator over at Keeneland's training track.
I wasn't sure what to expect with it being a holiday.. but any runner knows that there are no off days. So we went on. Standing in the stillness of the morning, hearing the hooves beat on the dirt, the rhythm of the horses heavy breath. It was something truly magical. If I could, I would go to watch every chance I got.
Sure, race day is exciting but this is where the magic happens. All the hours, the hard work, the dedication.
