Mount Washington

Mount Washington

Monday, December 21, 2009

Why I run.......

Why do I run?  Listed the emotional and spiritual gains. Charted the improvement that has taken place in my person and my life. What I have not emphasized is how transient these values and virtues are.


With just a little thought, however, it should be evident that physical laws parallel those of the mind and the spirit. We know that the effects of training are temporary. I cannot put fitness in the bank. If inactive, I will detrain in even less time than it took me to get in shape. And since my entire persona is influenced by my running program, I must be constantly in training. Otherwise the sedentary life will inexorably reduce my mental and emotional well-being.

So, I run each day to preserve the self I attained the day before. And coupled with this is the desire to secure the self yet to be. There can be no let up. If I do not run I will eventually lose all I have gained-and my future with it. However magnificent the achievement, without constant care the result will decay.

I know the experience intimately. Victory is of the moment. It must be followed by another victory and then another. I have to run just to stay in place.

Excellence is not something attained and put in a trophy case. It is not sought after, achieved and, thereafter, a steady state. It is a momentary phenomenon, a rare conjunction of body, mind, and spirit at one's peak. Should I come to that peak I cannot stay there. I must start each day at the bottom and climb to the top. And then beyond that peak to another and yet another.

Through running I have learned what I can be and do. My body is now sensitive to the slightest change. It is particularly aware of any decline or decay. I can feel this lessening of the "me" that I have come to think of myself.

Running has made this new me. Taken the raw material and honed it and delivered it back ready to do the work of a human being. I run, so I do not lose the me I was yesterday and the me I might become tomorrow.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

JingleBell Dash 5k

3:30 is the start,and the rain kept coming down harder and harder......it probally couldnt have gotten any worse othe then maybe being a little colder. None the less it was WET and WINDY. We ran through downtown TomsRiver through someneighborhoods and back through downtown. Soaked to the bone I finished in 22:55. Lesson learned dont wear sweatpants in a 5K during a down pour....All and all a good run with some Christmas spirit.
And to Ron ,nice run time.

Friday, December 11, 2009

My first Post.....heading into 2010

First I would like to express thanks to my wife and kids for giving me the time to pursue a "hobby" or an "addiction" that requires alot of time being away from the house. Even though a great deal of my training is during the early morning hours (0530) there are times when training takes me into the later afternoon. If you train in any endurance sports already you know where Im coming from. If  you have no knowledge of the amount of time one needs to train then I will sum it up like this " without your families support its just not possible...."

So my intentions are to keep this blog going as not only an avenue of communication for my pursuit of endurance sports, but to say "This is also whats going on in my life" Complex at times? YES, but overall a very good life. Serenity keeps things in perspective.

So as I enter 2010, I find my sights fixed on some local events ( Triathlons ) and some out of state events ( NYC marathon and The Mount Washington Road Race in NH). It all really started at the end of 2009 triathlon season I was just starting to settle in to competition, feeling stronger and finding my place within my Age Group , Yup thats right 40-45 group, and then an abrupt ending, that nobody had control over" WINTER". But it was then that I realized I really miss competing, the Triathlon community and the focus it gave me in so many diffrent aspects of life. So here it is winter, I personally cant stand the cold, especially training, so I now bring eveything indoors, runnin, biking and swimming.

Im currently training 4-5 days a week with intentions on picking it upto double seasions around March 2010. So there it is the first post....kinda rusty at the whole writting thing but Im sure you get the message. As for the future, I have a 5k run , in Tomsriver I'll keep you posted.