In Honor of the NYC Marathon!

During the day, I'm a fitness professional. By night I prowl the streets of New York City, looking for a stage to do time on - I must do my time. One thing I've noted lately is that I've gotten into a bit of a habit of literally running up onto stage as a stand-up comic. This is silly, like putty for several reasons.

Reason number one: unless I plan to run with all my might I look like I am trotting much like a pony up onto the stage. Should I decide to slow it down a bit and jog carefully with care-free abandon this too looks like bobble-head horsy trot, only in slow motion.

Second, running onto the stage is one of those typical inefficient performance techniques that aren’t technique at all. Who on earth am I running from? Where am I running too? If only on a subconscious level, there must be some question in the mind of at least a few audience members. I'm sure that I've scared a few people in the process. “Watch out! There’s a fast moving redheaded comic running down the aisle, onto the stage! Where’s the fire? What is the rush? Isn’t she the one who got arrested, for putting her feet up in the subway? Maybe there’s a bomb in her shoe. She’s going too fast, get out of her way!”

Last but not least, maybe 5% are thinking, "Boy can she run! What a strong, comic she is. Jennifer Garner ain’t got nothing on this funny running lady!” Ok, so that is the voice of my fantasy life becoming reality. Anyway, this isn't the art of exercise; it's the art of standup comedy. Unless I plan to make a joke about running, why would I run? I know, I know – it’s because I feel like it at the time. And here I am making a joke or two out of it (albeit a very wordy joke). I guess all roads do lead to comedy, if you’re lucky.