I tried football my freshman year. That didn't go so well. So during the summer of 1973, heading into my sophomore year of high school, I decided to give cross country a try. My older brother had run last year so I had some familiarity. I started running during the summer to get ready. I had no idea what I was doing. But I discovered I was pretty good at it. Once the season began I quickly became our #2 runner and most importantly, faster than my brother! I enjoyed the success so much I gave up my favorite sport, baseball, and went out for track in spring season.
Fast forward 44 years and I'm still running, and racing. No longer against other runners, but against myself and the aging process. Once it was the challenge to out push another runner, now it's the challenge to push myself to the physical and mental limits my body can take. The voices, pain and agony are the same, the times are just slower.
It took my until college to learn about the pure joy of running. In high school I ran one pace for 30 minutes. In college I ran one pace but for 60 minutes. I learned the magic came at about 45 minutes into a run. Had I not run in college and learned that, I may not be running today. My favorite run is still a 60 long run, but I've learned about varying the pace.
I haven't done a 60 minute run in several years. Getting beyond 30 has been a challenge this past year. It's made me wonder at times if I'm reaching the limit on these legs. I will fight off that day for as long as I can. There will be a day when I can no longer race, no longer run. Today is not that day.
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