Well, here we are-10 days until race day and I got my last real long run in on Sunday: 3hr 4 min, around 23-24 miles give or take. The overall effort was moderate and I finished feeling strong and confident for the task at hand. The course offered a wide variety of challenges: mud, hills and the unforgiving road. My son Daniel came with acting as my "Mule", a term he has come to rather enjoy. A "Mule" is a person who undertakes the thankless job of carrying water and pacing and basically not letting his "Charge" stop running. He has done a fine job all summer and hopefully he caught a glimpse of what it takes to becomes a true distance runner. Not from my example, but from those I choose to surround myself with on these long forays into the city, trail or wherever else I find myself trapsing along. He already is a fine runner and hopefully he will develop a love for running-if he hasn't already, a simple recipe for going far in this sport is simply love what you do and you can find the passion to do it well.
My buddy Mark Moline helped with the task on Sunday as well, suffering along side of me for 2hrs or so. What a friend. He really didn't need to be out there, but he was. You really catch a glimpse of somebodies character when they are out on the roads and the discomfort begins. Like in life, you have to tell yourself and convince yourself that this is just a phase and "This too shall pass......." and simply not stop.
I always tell myself and a lot of other people that the task may be difficult, but not impossible. Words that no doubt are true for those of us in life who are actually engaged. A friend of mine is going thru a tough time right now, I'm not sure how he is hanging on, but he is-and actually seems to be putting together a string of days called a week. A couple of those said days ago, I was actually a bit concerned that this Dude might not show up for work. That's a messed up thing to say, but reality is always at least a bit messed up. Mr. Ali once said, "The funniest joke is reality". How cruel but true Mr. Ali-how cruel, but true.
Anyway, this guy was gone for a year and has come back to life that no longer resembles what he left. Life has dealt him a cruel blow. Karma? Not sure I believe in that exactly. If Karma were true then all my children would be blind and my wife would have a wooden leg and be prone to loud, violent, drunken outburst in public. I have not such a wife. What will he do? I'm not sure, but I believe that right now there's a Rumble that's a brewin'-when the battle horn is sounded he will be ready and hungry-like a Hyena he will go into battle.........
I think that is what is missing from a lot of our lives. A challenge, a fight-something that challenges us to become better, it doesn't really matter if we win or lose, just are we better because of it? Do we want to be better because of it? These qeustions can not be answered in public, at least truthfully. Sometimes the answer is we don't. Sometimes it's a bit easier to just let yourself be hurled against the rocks and sulk off to drown ourselves in food, tv or even drink. I have done all of these and have never come out on top on the other side, just a bit farther behind and still the same miserable human.
Other times I have gone headlong into the battle and have been severly stomped and my pride took a public savage beating. My friends recoiled from me like I was a leper, but I eventually stripped off the clothes of a leper and seen the light and eventually found I could do this thing called life, facial string warts and all.
Anyway, enough of this babbling about life and the challenges we all face. Time to ready my mind spirit and body for the challenge of a race that will no doubt tap into someplace that is best untapped daily. Save it for the battle. Selah'
