Toeing the line


In the words of ultrarunning legend Hal Koerner, "Some will boil it down to chemicals, emotions, reasons why we crave it, but honestly, it's just a combination of all those things brought together in that moment, it's a beautiful, joyous thing."  My god, that's beautiful.

I find running, even more so racing, metaphorically aligned well with our day to day.  We have those days, you wake up feeling refreshed, heart rate super low, you tackle the day before it has a thought to tackle you.  Then, we have the opposite.  Days where you seemingly can't get ahead, foggy and lethargic, just struggle busing on through.

Ya know, those races, where everything possible aligned for you to have one of those magical runs, relatively speaking, you feel like Superman.  Paced appropriately, breathing and stride in sync, finishing strong.  Then, the races where almost immediately, your thoughts turn to, "oh for the love of god, just get me to the finish line."

Every race tells a story, some more enjoyable or painful than others.  I view a race as a snapshot of the day, your current fitness and effort equatable to that given moment in time.  Maybe your best race could have been ran the day or week before, or another day of rest and tomorrow you could have tapped into PR realm, but when the RD calls you to the line, all other variables go out the window, it's go time.  I've caught lightning in a bottle some race mornings, and others I swear, lightning struck me a few times.  After all races, I am truly just thankful to cross the line, and onwards to my post race brunch.

My wife supports my endeavors but for the most part, she thinks it's crazy.  She has run a few 5k's with me, but no part of her desires anything past that.  She gets her competitive outlet though working out, and rec league soccer for a few years.  Random enough too, her OCD gets translated into personal craft like projects. On the contrary, I think that's quite crazy.  See how this whole marriage/life partner yin and yang concept works?

I am no Mike Wardian, I race maybe 5-6 times a year, and my goal is to find a few new races every year.  The Pitt Half Marathon has become a staple, but this is likely my last consecutive year to race there.  Time to find something new in spring 2020.  The excitement this time of year takes me back to the training we'd do for the upcoming football season.  Training for moments on the horizon, moments half a year away.  All athletes regardless of their sport know, you don't just show up on gameday ready to go.  The work you put in 6 months earlier is the foundation of your season.

That sense of competition keeps us weekend warriors alive and well.  The eagle eye focus after the bib is pinned and the race director summons all racers to the line.  Under a minute now, the heart rate spikes a bit, you glance around, or look down, maybe up to the sky thankful for this moment. 

You may PR or you may have a spectacular blow up.  I am sure enough to say, when that finish line is crossed, you change as a person.  No matter how many times you do it, a new shade of self gets created in that moment.  Only yourself can cross that line, and nobody else for you, embrace that, and you'll never go wrong.

Much love to all upcoming racers,
Andrew




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