Check out the song....the video is pretty cool too
Except instead of ...."They tell me I'm too young to understand..." I feel like, "They tell me I'm old enough to know better".
With 2 weeks to the race I've been training for all year, this is the point where I get pretty self absorbed, think lots about running, racing, life and everything seems too apply to what i'm thinking, doing, feeling. Pretty arrogant eh? I joke, but half serious too. This is also the point where I start questioning myself. I'd like to say it's because this is also the time that everyone but a small handful of people start questioning me and letting me know how crazy they think my running is. And it would be ok, if they thought it was crazy in a cool sort of way. The older adults in my life start offering their criticism guised as concern. Comments like, "So after this are you going to settle down?". They ask Todd, "So, what's she going to do after this?" ..like I've had some sort of midlife crisis and now that I have bought a proverbial race car will I be satisfied? Friends and acquaintances my age hide their jealousy in statements like, "What does your husband and kids think of your running?". The hardest part is not what they say, It's what I see in their faces, under their expressions. I see the disapproval, jealousy, and even animosity? And I start to feel guilty for this "craziness". The only ones I see true understanding and genuine happiness and enthusiasm in their faces are the young, my husband and kids, the employees at the restaurants I go to, the gas station clerk, and other ultra runners. I get the most criticism from the people I spend 60% of my life with...my colleagues and staff, they are the ones who offer the most critical digs (except my nurse whose eyes light up when I talk to her about running). Maybe I'm just too sensitive right now. Anyway....I love this song ;)
Comments
Thanks for the song and best of luck on the 17th! I hope to be "crazy" enough to do it myself someday.
Thanks Eric - as an aside, this kind of compassion and camaraderie going hand-in-hand with running is an interesting point of Christopher McDougall's TED talk, worth a watch :)
Lori, I'm setting off at 8pm on the 17th (so 1pm in Leadville), with the thinking that this way, I'll have the 'easier' half of the run in the dark (so I can focus more on finding my way) and the harder slog half will at least be lit!
I think I'll take "you're crazy" any day :)
Thanks eric!
Best of luck to both of you! I will be supporting you both in spirit during your races. In my limited experience as a runner I have learned one thing; "You're crazy" is the best compliment a non-runner can give you! Safe journeys!
I will be sure to go for a run on the 17th and sent good intentions your way.
Where's the "like" button! When date/time do you start? I start 4am 8/17 mountain time. Will def have you on my mind.
THAT'S what I meant to add! I knew I'd forgotten something - it crossed my mind that we could have a kind of psychic support thing going on while we're doing it, you're absolutely right :) And far out there? If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space :)
Thanks Ben, and best wishes on your run! It will strengthen me to know you will be running too. Hope it will strengthen you as well. I debated back and forth about posting this blog. Sometimes I think I am just too far out there :)
I can't believe I hadn't noticed that Leadville falls on the same weekend that I'm doing my 130-miler! Pretty much everything in this post fits with how I'm feeling at the moment - again, nice to see how I'm feeling reflected in someone else. Not good luck, but - prepare well, find the right mental space and run smiling :)