I've awaited the arrival of 2011. Twenty-ten was a fabulous year. It began with Michelle and Ashley crewing Ray in his first race of the BAD 135 Cup. I met him in Minnesota and cheered, supported and crewed him to a (-)fifty cold finish. For me the year was spent in Rehab for my broken tibia. I never dreamed that the year would lead me to multiple 50 milers, a DNF on Rio Del Lago with Kidney Failure and the birthing of our own race in August of 2011...(more on that another day.)
I think of the more than 200 runners we have trained this year to 'resist the common.' I think of the Be Change Running Family that spread to Pennsylvania and now, Texas (DC) and Arizona (JS). I think of the numerous runners here in Sacramento that I call family. From Lodi to Loomis- From San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe...Be Change Runners...embracing pain for purpose. I am thankful.
Even as I blog this, Tracy Neal, a recent first time marathon finisher is texting me. "Rally Harp, "It's 1/1/11. At 11:11AM, I am running for 111 minutes." He is contagious. I probably need to grab my shoes and run with him.
What would this year look like if I ran everyday? Could my body handle it. What if I journaled it. What if I took a blunt look at the mental joust of hating it and loving it-needing it and dreading it. Would anyone read it?
What if I wrote about the pain and purpose that comes with running? What if I spoke to the aches and pains, the nutrition and race scheduling? What if I brain dumped all things running here?
I get to run with Tracy on his run...in the rain.
What if? Day One, done.
*Picture: Jimmy Dean Freeman, Jason Harper, Christina Silvas, Ray Sanchez on the course run of what will be Run for a Reason's IRON EXPRESS ENDURANCE RUN; July, 2010
