The days of pushing through a bad or painful run are gone, for now. Now it's about how I'm feeling. If my legs, back or other part of me is hurting, the run is short, even to a few yards. But if things are feeling good, I'll finish what was planned and most likely go a bit farther. I take advantage of those days, enjoy them more, cherish the ability to not think about what aches but rather reflect on whatever enters my mind.
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Join me in celebrating a couple of milestones in 2018.
On a recent run, I got thinking about the upcoming year, 2018. It will be one of those milestone years. How would I like to celebrate turning 60? I'm not one to run 60 miles, call it lazy or being sane, whichever fits. But after 60 years on this planet, the previous 45 spent as a runner, I'd like to celebrate not just 60 but having trained as a runner every year since 1973.
I use to be fairly fast. I trained to compete for podium finishes or to run marathons. The challenge these days is not in how fast or how far, but in not giving up. There have been times during the past three years when I've thought retiring from running was in my immediate future. Mornings when my body was in such discomfort that running even a couple hundred yards was too painful to continue. It was those mornings when I questioned whether the journey was ending. It’s not ending, it’s just slowing down and going not quite as far... some days done more gracefully than others.
To celebrate this milestone I’ll be running the Run to Get Lucky 5k in Corvallis on my birthday, March 17 (http://www.runtogetlucky.com/). You’re invited to join me in the 5k or the 15k, running, walking or enthusiastically cheering. Afterward at the beer tent, we’ll celebrate the journey of this running life.
“...to slow down as slowly and gracefully as possible.” Frank Shorter.
(If you want to give me a present, sign up to volunteer for the Salem Triathlon in September 2018. I'm the vol coordinator, best present you could give me!)
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