"If you can learn to find a meaning in the kind of running you will have to do to stay on this team, then perhaps you will be able to find meaning in that other absurd pastime: life." - Bill Bowerman
Good training day. Ran from my apartment to the Tough Ten 10-mile race, ran the race in 59:18, which was good enough for 4th, had to immediately run from the race across town to watch a couple of friends in the Auburn University cross country meet, ran back to my apartment, switched into some trail shoes, and headed out to run an out-and-back of the first half of the Bartram Trail. Solid day.
"The trial of miles; miles of trials." - Once A Runner
So I don't really know how to classify all of the miles I ran today. I started by doing a little over 6 on my own, then met some folks from the local running club at the high school track and did a 2.5+ mile warmup with them. Then we started doing mile pickups on the track, starting at around 7:00 or a little more per mile, increasing pace every mile for 8 miles, until we hit a couple of 6:05 - 6:10 miles, and then I ran home. Got more miles than I anticipated for the day, but that's good, too.
"Yet that man is happy and poets sing of him who conquers with hand and swift foot and strength." - Pindar (Greek poet, circa 500 B.C.)
"The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." - Pierre de Courbertin
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection." - Thomas Paine
"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." - Emil Zatopek
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You never turned around to see the frowns on the jugglers and the clowns
When they all come down and did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on the chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discover that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
Princess on the steeple and all the pretty people
They're drinkin', thinkin' that they got it made
Exchanging all kinds of precious gifts and things
But you'd better lift your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him now, he calls you, you can't refuse
When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be on your own
With no direction home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
"You move from doing things to show other people you could, to where you do things to look into yourself, into your soul, and see who you are and what you're all about." - Scott Weber
Good run with Jon Elmore on some gravel roads/trail out in the county that I heretofore did not know existed. Gradually picked up the pace to what felt like a little under 7/mile for the last few miles. Solid run, and a good way to put in my last 20 miler before Pinhoti (2 weeks out).
Did 9 on the Bartram trail with Peter, finishing up at around 11:30 PM. Good night run to reacquaint me with running trail in the dark, and good company to ease my mind with regard to the night portion of Pinhoti, which will definitely prove to be the most challenging aspect of the race.
