The First 26.2

I recently ran the Country Music Marathon, my first, and learned so much about running and learned some lessons about life along the way, and why running is the greatest the sport out there. You must know that when you start the weekend by meeting running legend Frank Shorter, good things are going to happen.
The pouring rain at the porta potties near the start line could not even dampen my spirits the morning of the race. The crowd was great and turned out in huge numbers despite the weather, well at least on the front half of the race. The back 13 was a different story, and it was during those 13 miles that I learned about myself and others.
Because 20,000 of the 30,000 of us out there were running only the half, the crowd thinned out quite noticeably once you kept heading straight passed the turn off. It was during these miles that I had to push myself to ignore the fatigue and to remember all my training, that and what a 6:30 mile feels like. Something that I managed to do quite well up until I tripped and fell at mile 19. I hurt my knee enough for it to swell up and bleed a little bit. My spirit was crushed, but not my will.
As I approached the last couple of miles, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of another, and it was then that I realized why running is truly a sport for the greatest members of humanity. With every runner that passed me up, they complimented me and encouraged me on. There was no snickering, mocking, or unfriendliness. Each one of us were suffering, plodding our way to a 3:25 marathon and there was not a person who was not needing to stretch every 100 yards or so, but still they managed a breath or two to encourage me.
In a society where everyone is out to get one another, and get ahead the other guy, it was amazing to see such a great showing of human spirit. No one cared who I supported politically, or which church I went to on Sundays. We were all united in a common bond, and that bond was crossing the finish line, and helping each other do it, not matter what.

Hitting the Road

E pluribus unum...I think that is how you spell it. Anyway, this is just one of many other running blogs, most of which are probably far better than this one, but none the less, here I am to write about that which I love to do, run. Also, it gives me a chance to relieve my wife from endless dribblings about intervals, chaffing, and professional running.

Just so there is no confusion, I have no connection to Steve Prefontaine. He is however someone I look up to as a runner. He made running popular and helped the cause of professional runners in the United States, something that far too many people are unaware of. "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift", one of Pre's most popular sayings, epitomizes the running spirit. Not just for those that compete to win prizes or medals, but to all of us who have breath and two legs.

So I hope everyone enjoys this and finds it somewhat entertaining.