Tag: Country Music marathon

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Boston Marathon

The first marathon I ever watched was in Nashville.  My mother came with her childhood friend, Susie, to support Susie’s daughter in the 1/2 marathon.  I remember being amazed that Heidi was running that far and literally stunned by how many others joined her.  We watched the beginning on Lower Broadway, but made our way to the finish line for the rest. 

I squeezed up next to the fence and gazed in bewilderment as the elite runners flew by mile 26 at a sub five minute pace.  I was about 10 years younger and in decent shape, but remember thinking I couldn’t have run the last 100 yards that fast if I used starting blocks! 

People were so positive and energetic as they encouraged the runners through their final steps.  I was not used to the early morning activity and marveled at the genuine smiles and happiness.  I didn’t turn into a runner that day, but it was always in the back of my mind. 

Susie, at 60 years old, may have been the happiest of the bunch.  She stood next to me and shouted at all the shirtless young guys, “Whew!  Way to go hottie!”  “Wow, sexy thang!” 

I was kinda funny and embarrassing at once.  Finally, I gave her a look like “what the hell are you doing?” 

She matter of factly brushed me off by saying, “Oh, they love it.” 

And she was right.  Nothing makes you run harder than an unsolicited compliment. 

By the end of that afternoon Susie’s brash advances (along with the awkward reactions of the guys) had me rolling on the ground. 

Now, it is today, and some bitter and demented person or persons decided they wanted to squash the fun.  I am sad, confused, and angry.  Like everyone else I think it was cowardly and twisted.  I search for answers, but nothing will explain why someone detonates bombs on innocent people. 

What makes me sad is how some of happiest moments of these people’s lives were ripped away in a split second.  How someone just like Susie was having the time of her life dishing inspiration to people who dripped sweat for months and miles to find that finish line.  How so many would have been able to say “I finished Boston.”  And how, instead of simple sweat, they were left with blood and tears.  

I think about the volunteers and security guards who went from token support to life savers instead of changing out of their yellow t-shirts.  The neighbors, the shop owners, and the students that look forward to this day like no other, but will never think of it the same.  I think about the people who squeezed up next to the fence and gazed in bewilderment as elite runners flew by at a sub 5 minute pace to cross the most prestigious finish line in running.  And how now, because of a lost and distorted mind, those same people, who stood cheering for hundreds of strangers, will never be able to stand on those legs again. 

Finishing a race is an incredible high.  You’re exhausted, but completely relaxed and at ease with the world.  You’re endorphins soar and your most genuine and compassionate sides flourish.  The simplest things in life take center stage.  A hand shake, a high five, a hug.  Today, thousands shared those moments with friends and family before their serenity was shattered by indiscriminate violence, and once again, left us asking why. 

When logic goes out the window.  When the pain is greater than we can understand.  When the suffering seems to have no end.  There’s only one thing you can do.  Keep the faith. 

 

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Should the NYC Marathon Have Been Canceled?

The NYC Marathon has just been canceled and I’m not sure it’s the best call.  It was obviously a tough decision (and I realize I am commenting from the outside), but events like this can give community energy and help with the rebuilding process.  Not to mention there will be tens of thousands of extra hands to help out before and after the race.

This situation reminds me of a letter my old General Manager had framed on his wall when I worked for the Indianapolis Indians. It was written by FDR and sent to Kenesaw Landis, Commissioner of Major League Baseball at the time.  It is now called, “The Green Light Letter” and was in response to a question of whether or not MLB should cancel the baseball season during the war:

My dear Judge:

Thank you for yours of January fourteenth. As you will, of course, realize the final decision about the baseball season must rest with you and the Baseball club owners – so what I am going to say is solely a personal and not an official point of view.

I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going. There will be fewer people unemployed and everybody will work longer hours and harder than ever before.

And that means that they ought to have a chance for recreation and for taking their minds off their work even more than before.

Baseball provides a recreation which does not last over two hours or two hours and a half, and which can be got for very little cost. And, incidentally, I hope that night games can be extended because it gives an opportunity to the day shift to see a game occasionally.

As to the players themselves, I know you agree with me that the individual players who are active military or naval age should go, without question, into the services. Even if the actual quality to the teams is lowered by the greater use of older players, this will not dampen the popularity of the sport. Of course, if an individual has some particular aptitude in a trade or profession, he ought to serve the Government. That, however, is a matter which I know you can handle with complete justice.

Here is another way of looking at it – if 300 teams use 5,000 or 6,000 players, these players are a definite recreational asset to at least 20,000,000 of the fellow citizens – and that in my judgment is thoroughly worthwhile.

With every best wish,

Very sincerely yours,

Franklin D. Roosevelt

I lived through the Nashville floods a few years ago, so, on some level, I understand what the Northeast is going through.  Several people have lost their possessions, homes, and lives.  This is a brutal experience and I completely empathize for everyone who has been affected.  But as New York knows all too well, and we saw in Nashville, there is no choice but to move on.

New York’s race is the largest in the world, and if you’ve ever watched a marathon, you know how inspirational they are.  The Country Music Marathon ran by my house every year and after watching, I was always ready to tackle the world and change my life.

I really feel having thousands of runners and spectators embracing streets that were just ravaged by a storm is a symbolic way to say, “This is our home.  We will not give in.”

Marathon runners touch lives all the time.  They are people who have committed to a very difficult challenge.  I don’t see how it can hurt to have 40,000 people with that type of character on your side.

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Crushing 1/2 Iron

As I limped around the house today, Jim and Daniel were in Augusta laying down personal bests in a Half Iron.  Jim’s flowing hair crossed the finish line at 5:27 and Daniel’s bouncy locks (in his first 1/2) dropped in at 5:31.  Needless to say, they and I are pumped.

Jim said the conditions were perfect and the course was “easy” but I say anytime you power your own body for 70.3 miles over 5 and a half hours, your accomplishment is legit.  That said, I’m starting to understand where he’s coming from.  And even Daniel said, “I had no idea my body would be able to hit some of those splits.”

The capability of the body is truly mind blowing.  I have always trusted its ability to heal and go the another inning or quarter or round, but never have I understood the literal interpretation of going the extra “mile.”

What starts with 60 second running intervals quickly turns into 5 minutes, then 10, then 20, 30, etc. If you would have told me I would EVER run for two straight hours and finish a 1/2 marathon, I would have called the loony bin.  That seemed so impossible, I can barely put it into words, but the question is why?  I watched Country Music Marathons for 6 straight years, even made videos for a few, and for some reason it never dawned on me that I TOO could do what many overweight, un-athletic, and even very old people were doing.  Running 13.1 or 26.2 miles.

There had always been a disconnect with running (and let me tell you that running was the entire piece of any triathlon puzzle for me).  It always seemed so hard (and still does) to me, but building slowly and being a part of a group tricked me.  I have always been athletic and while I never saw myself as a runner, tons of others did.  I started to believe.

I was off to the races, literally.  I kept putting another challenge in my sights and kept hitting those targets.  Each time my confidence grew and while the 1/2 marathon was quite a quest, it wasn’t until I did my first Sprint Tri that I felt like I belonged.  Total time was nearly an hour less than the my 1/2, but it was the combination of events and the strength of how I finished that made me stand up and take note of what was going on.  I just did the seemingly impossible and not only was I not tired, I felt great.

That said, the Olympic Distance intimidated me, mainly because of the swim.  And since I’ve rehashed this a bunch of times, the very fact that I completed the swim, carried 20 mph on the bike, and finished the 10k without pain gave me enough confidence to sign up for Ironman Wisconsin.

They say write it and it will come true.  And while I’m quite sure these stories will bore the fuzz off of many lips, I have to keep going.  Looking ahead at new targets.  Why do we do that?  I think it’s more than because we can, it’s because if we’re not growing, we’re dying.

Today’s Diet:
Breakfast – 2 cups of strong ass coffee from Barista Parlor, scrambled eggs, 2 sausage patties, french toast, water at Mitchell’s Deli
Dinner – Grilled fish, steamed spinach, pickle, too much bread!

* Injury Update:  I iced my knee for the whole Wisconsin/Nebraska game last night and considering the outcome, I should have been icing my head.  The knee is still a little tender, but I will likely take at least a week off from running and focus on yoga, upper body and core work, along with swimming.