4 for 4 and 2015

The title of this post sounds like the intro to an Abe Lincoln speech…..

Due to some upcoming race volunteering (which we feel very strongly about at Endurance Obsession www.enduranceobsession.com) I've inherited a couple of free or almost free race entries on weekends I wasn't planning to compete. With that, it appears I'll be competing 4 weekends in a row starting this weekend…..in order they look like this…

Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race - Mountainair, NM
Las Campanas Sprint Triathlon - Santa Fe, NM
Survival of the Shawangunks Adventure Triathlon - New Paltz, NY
Patriot Triathlon - Rio Rancho, NM (as part of a team)

The schedule looks very doable and there are some fun races that I've never done before….I think I'm looking forward the volunteering as much as the racing…

Since I'm here I might as well tell you about the Altra One2 (One Squared)….and how much I love these shoes. I was looking for a pair of lightweight racers and had read some very good things about the One2 in the Altra Ambassador group. "Light" "responsive" "comfortable" were all descriptions posted about them. Since I'm not light, responsive, or comfortable…I figured maybe they weren't for me….but on a leap of faith I ordered a pair.

For me, these might be the most perfect shoes ever made….they are light, very comfortable, and extremely responsive. These are true featherweight racers….the thing that caught me by surprise is how much protection they give while doing all of the other things so well. The shoe definitely has more cushion than a traditional racing flat…but is just as light (if not lighter). The zero drop platform has a really nice amount of cushion in the midsole area which is exactly where I strike. Because of the wide toe box, the shoe seems unbelievably stable to me….almost like a training shoe. I'm getting the best of both worlds when I train and race in these things. I've run a half marathon and done several runs in the 8-10 mile range with NOTHING but comfort from the One2s…and will put them to the test in my final long run in prep for the SOS tri….a 16-18 miler next week. As far as how many miles I can get from them…I have no idea….but I do know that I'm enjoying every one I get in them now!

I'll also be racing the SOS tri in these shoes on September 7th in New Paltz, NY. The SOS is an 8 stage adventure tri that is bike/run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run (no…you didn't read that wrong). The race is point to point thru the Mohonk preserve so whatever you start the first run with you must carry with you for the entire course. That includes swimming across 3 separate lakes with your shoes, socks, and whatever else you feel you need. I've been training with my Altra 3Sums by shoving them up the legs of my shorts prior to swimming….but the One2s are even better because they have a collapsible heel that'll fit better…plus that have more cushion in less weight. I'm completely psyched to race this event after thinking about it for a dozen years…..

Which leads me to 2015…..

As I was out running this morning (pretty good run BTW), I began thinking about what my goals would be for the season. The EO team is already going back to Tough Mudder AZ in March for the 4th year in a row…..and Michi and I will definitely want to race the Tempe International Tri in May (one of our favorites)….but with no more Ironman 140.6 races on my horizon I didn't have much else in mind. I decided that before I get much older I want to lay down a slew of running PRs (since running is my most challenging discipline) and next year is the year to do it. I've decided that I would like to pursue a running PR at every distance next season from 5K to marathon. I'll need help…in the form of a good running coach…because I've gone as far as I can go with what I know. Scheduling will be an issue as well……as I really don't know which distance to pursue first and what order to put them in.

For the record…my lifetime PRs are

5K - 22:10 (I would love to run under 21 minutes)
10K - 47:55 (under 45 would be great)
Half marathon - 1:54 (under 1:50 is kind of a dream for me)
Marathon - 4:25? (I'm not even sure….I've only run 2-3 marathons outside of Ironman and never really trained for one….I just kind of did them on residual training. Under 4 hours would be the target)

Let's face it…..I'm not a gifted runner. It's like the accountant trying to be the life of the party….it takes a lot of work and goes against type….that's me and running. I figure I'm at the point where I'm not naturally going to get any faster….so hitting these goals all in one year will be tough…but I'm up for the challenge.

I figure the only way I'm going to make running my ally rather than my enemy is to dive into it….with a good plan, some good races, and a good coach….I think I can make this happen.

Ok 2015…..the gauntlet has been laid down…..let's get to work!

Peace….

Halfway Home

Just a day shy of the halfway point of the year and it's time to recap how my year/life/season has gone so far. To say it has not gone as expected would be an understatement….but I digress…

Today I might have been basking in the afterglow (read:pain) of Ironman Coeur d'Alene had things gone according to plan. As it is, I think I just bought a $700 backpack. Instead, I'm basking in the afterglow of figuring out where and why I belong in endurance sports at the tender age of 50.

The year started off well enough with a couple of local running races…although there were no magical PRs waiting for me this season. The Endurance Obsession Racing Team (which I love like a family) had a great and fun showing at Tough Mudder Arizona as well….and all systems seemed go.

Then…things changed.

I started to develop what I thought was a wart on my right hand ring finger…..but then it started bleeding….and didn't stop. I got an appointment to see a Doc and was told I had a hemangioma, essentially a group of blood vessels growing thru the skin, and that it would need to be surgically removed and cauterized. The diagnosis was easy….treatment was not. I could NOT find a surgeon of any stripe that would take me until September….and here I was bleeding every time I took off the hundreds of bandages and liquid skin I'd use during this time. Swimming at the local pool was out of the question because I wasn't going to freak out my fellow swimmers by bleeding in their water.

The downward spiral of IMCDA had begun…..no swimming?….hmmm….

In May I did the Jay Benson Triathlon on a new course in Albuquerque and fractured my foot while running into an expansion joint on a pedestrian bridge we ran on. It was totally my fault as I just took my eyes off the road for a few seconds at the wrong time. I did finish the race limping and hobbling around…but it certainly wasn't the age group podium spot I thought I was training for. I barely ran for the next 6 weeks leading up to the HITS Grand Junction full distance Aquabike race. Theoretically this race should have been perfect since we were just doing the swim and bike…..a perfect part of IMCDA training….the reality was much different.

The water was cold…..like 57 degrees or so cold and my body started shutting down not long after I started my second loop. I was miserable and scared for the first time ever in the water. I got on the bike and lost the bandage on my finger while trying to wrestle a water bottle into the cage…so I spent the next 20 miles bleeding my way to an aid station to get some tape for it. My bad left foot began complaining and so I was doing most of the pedaling with one leg…..and at mile 75 that leg did protest too much to go any further. No matter….I'd spent the entire bike ride knowing I wasn't going to IMCDA…..I just lost the urge.

So….flash forward to my season reset and focusing on short course racing and getting more fit. My first reset race was a local 10K where I ran just about the worst 10K I've run in the last 7-8 years….discouraging, yes….but I pressed on.

After a fun run/swim/run/swim/run/swim/run open water workout (in preparation for the Survival of the Shawangunks tri in September) I stepped out of the car to take this picture and sliced my heel open on a broken bottle….one week before the Toughman triathlon….it refused to heal, so I again I was relegated OUT of the pool for the week and wound up racing with my heel split open….

I entered the Toughman AZ olympic triathlon with a goal of landing on the podium and starting my process of race redemption…..but I faded badly on the run after 3 miles (and no water at the aid stations) and finished 4th. Still…it was at least a sign that maybe I was headed in the right direction.

This past weekend I was able to climb onto the 3rd step of the podium at the City of Lakes Olympic Tri in Santa Rosa, NM. Of everything…I was most proud that my run was strong (for the first 5 miles anyway) and only my buddy Arne passed me from my AG in the last half mile. I had a 10 minute course PR and finally felt like things might be coming around.

The 2nd half of the season is upon us….and I'm looking for other opportunities to test myself in these crazy sports we are so fortunate to compete in. I'll surely do the Socorro Chile Harvest Sprint Tri (USAT Regional Championship Race) in August, Las Vueltas de Mountainair bike race with a few of the EO guys, and then to get my groove on at the bucket list race, Survival of the Shawangunks Triathlon.

My appetite for long distance racing is gone…….I don't see the point in suffering for such a long time anymore (not for me anyway). I'm sure I'll throw a 70.3 distance race in here or there….but my Ironman career is over.

Today…I wondered how I'd feel hearing about my friends that battled some tough conditions at IMCDA yesterday? Would I be jealous? Envious? Would I wish I had been there….

Today, I felt happy…..happy for them that they met their goals…and happy for me that I have new ones.

No regrets…only opportunities.

Peace…

#zerolimits #zeroinjurieswouldbenicetoo #takebackyourlife

Thanks to Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, Boston Bill Sunglasses, Champion Systems and Altra Running for believing in me and in the EO Racing Team...

Season Reset

Well…..turning 50 hasn't gone exactly to plan so far.

This was going to be the big one. The year I put it all together…smashed PRs, did new and exciting races, built the EO Racing team to new levels of greatness…..

So far, I've underperformed on a few fronts.

At the Abq Half Marathon I stopped at mile 12 to help a girl who had collapsed near the side of the road. I walked in with her and didn't put up a very good number. I feel great about what I did…and wouldn't do anything differently…but I was hopeful that I'd surprise myself with my early season level of fitness. Now…I'm not sure where I really am?

At the Jay Benson Triathlon I damaged my foot at mile 2 of the run while hitting a bridge expansion joint. I hopped in, pedaled the course with one leg, and swam without kicking. Sure…I finished, but I was expecting a solid time and maybe an age group placing for the first time ever at this race…instead I was a distant also ran. It was wonderful having my EO teammates there to take care of me….and that, perhaps, is the best outcome of all.

I planned the HITS Grand Junction ironman distance aqua bike as part of my training for IMCDA….and this past weekend was the final nail in the IM coffin for me. Even if the water was 58-59 degrees as we later discovered…it was too cold. My body was freezing and already shutting down near the end of the first loop of the swim. The second loop was survival swimming…and for the first time I was actually scared in the water. My legs began to cramp badly so kicking was out of the question. Halfway thru the 2nd loop my core muscles, shoulders, arms, and hands began to cramp. I couldn't even wave for help if I needed it….and I wasn't sure someone was going to be able to pull me out in time if it went terribly bad. The bike was a horror…..from swimming "flat" my neck was already jacked up…so I couldn't stay aero because I couldn't look up. I lost my finger bandage early in the bike and the hemangioma that needs to be surgically removed on my finger began bleeding immediately. I was bleeding until the mile 20 aid station when one of the volunteers had some Roc tape to put some pressure on it. Near the end of the first loop my left foot began hurting so I was primarily pedaling with my right leg again…and finally at mile 75 my right leg seized up at the adductor and I could go no further. It took me no time to decide that the cold water at IMCDA and the short time frame to the race meant it was time to move on. I had not a moment of pleasure this past Saturday….other than seeing my friends and my wife…..every moment on the course was a lesson in pain and futility.

I've decided to reset the season and drop back to the distances that I really love. I'll be racing Oly and sprint tris in an attempt to salvage what is left of my 50th year on the planet. I'm still a go for the SOS Triathlon in NY in September….and will probably go back to the SOMA 70.3 race in Tempe, AZ in October (the longest distance I'm will to suffer these days).

I want to thank the entire Endurance Obsession Racing Team for their friendship, support, and great efforts this season. It's a true blessing to be involved with so many good people who are doing so many good things.

I want to thank Altra Running for their support. The Ambassador Team has been a great source of motivation to me as I get to follow their challenges around the globe this season. Via my new race schedule I intend to get back out there and represent the brand the way they deserve to be represented.

I want to thank EO Racing sponsors Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses….you have been great supporters of our team and we appreciate knowing that you believe in us and our mission.

Plans change, people change, goals change…..I'm not even 50 1/2 yet (or 606 months for you Moms out there) and it's time to hit the reset button. I'm feeling great about my decisions and ready to get back to work.

Rock on!!

Peace…...

Provisionally Muddy

I enjoy my accomplishments…but I absolutely revel in the accomplishments of others. That makes this blog installment very easy and enjoyable to write.

This past Saturday, the Endurance Obsession Racing Team and friends fielded a group of 14 athletes to take on Tough Mudder Arizona. As has been my custom for the 3 years I've done this event, we lined up in the first wave on the first day at Eastmark in Mesa, AZ.

The Tough Mudder is not a race…it's an event. Mudders are encouraged to help each other thru the course…and not just the people you came with…but anyone around you who needs help.

After our check in and pre race photos we climbed a mini version of the Berlin Wall that leads to the starting corral. Tough Mudder does a good job of pumping you up before they release you to the 10-12 miles course littered with obstacles big and small. Just before the gun went off I gathered the team to review our two simple, yet vital rules.

Rule #1 - If you get tired…lean on me…because when I get tired, I'm going to lean on you.

Rule #2 - We start and finish together…and no one gets left behind.

So….off we go.

I won't bore you with all of the specifics….but there were a few highlights that you should be aware of…

-   This year, Tough Mudder seemed to have greatly reduced the number of obstacles. Last year the course was packed with lots of smaller obstacles that didn't take much to get thru…but did break up the running portion quite a bit. I'd estimate 15-17 obstacles this year with few of the "speed bump" kind.

-   That fact above made the running portion seem longer since there were not as many breaks in the action.

-   The first obstacle that I was NOT looking forward to was the Arctic Enema…a giant vat of ice cubes and water that you jump into, submerse everything including your head in, them attempt to climb out. This year…the "after" portion when you duck under a barbed wire beam was longer and colder than I remember. When I finally was able to climb out…my body felt like I was being stabbed by 100 knives…from every angle..and from all over. The pain lasted for a minute and nothing I did seemed to help. Luckily, it was pretty warm by this point so that we were able to warm up and recover quickly.

- We had some true badasses on our team. Andrea, who had stomach surgery for a bleeding ulcer just days before completed the entire course! The fact that she was unable to eat anything and even drinking water made her double over in pain didn't stop her one bit. Kyle, our youngest member (21) signed up and decided to do the event THE NIGHT BEFORE! Yep…no special training…just the wonder of youth and a solid team to work with. 

-   I HAVE to get my should fixed when this season is over. On the Everest obstacle (essentially a slippery half pipe you have to run up out of a mud puddle), I ran and leaped for the edge and caught the hands of two fellow Mudders waiting at the top. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to swing my leg over the edge and I wound up hanging there by my arms until my left shoulder popped….which rendered it completely useless. I told the guys to let me go and I slid down on my belly. Someone mentioned that I should skip this obstacle and go around….but there was no way I was going to be team leader by quitting. On the next run I was able to reach the cleats by myself and a couple of guys scooped up my leg and hauled me over the side. I hung the left arm out of the way and laid on top to help 10 more Mudders get over with just my right arm.

-   14 people is a LOT to keep together and keep tabs on….but I wouldn't have it any other way. It was tremendously encouraging to see everyone gather up at each obstacle, cheer each other on, count off to make sure out entire team was with us…and then start running again. Again…this is not a race…its an experience and the experience of conquering the course with that group of people was amazing.

-  Tough Mudder will absolutely f*!K with you. Val, Byron, and I were required to go an extra mile and 3 extra obstacles of the Legionnaires Loop. This was a special part of the course reserved for Mudder Legion…those that had finished at least one event before. They have a pretty cool deal where you earn different colored headbands based on the number of finishes you have. Halfway thru the loop we encountered what appeared to be another electrocution obstacle in addition to the traditional Electroshock Therapy that finishes all Mudder events. I think the 3 of us all said "no f*!king way!" at the same time with the prospect of 10,000 volts going thru us TWICE within the space of a mile. The building it was housed in looked a little shaky though and rather than think too hard I just said "we gotta do it" and entered….once I went in it looked even more shaky…just a few wires dangling from the ceiling and it didn't take me too long to figure out it was a hoax…no electricity. The sign at the end said "Even WE wouldn't make you do it twice!" I waited at the exit and yelled to Byron and Val that we were clear to come thru.

- Tough Mudder is experimenting with the force of their electric shocks. The first year I did the event with Brian (and the first year it was held in AZ) the shock in the midst of a pool of muddy water was so strong it knocked some athletes (including myself) out cold….I went face first into the mud, unconscious and eyes wide open. Last year they dialed it back so much it felt like a pat of the back from your pal. This year they seemed to get it right as I got hit 5x before being knocked off my feet at the end into a muddy bog. I decided to stay down and avoid the wires for the last 10-15 feet as I wasn't interested in being shocked yet again. 

-   My Altra Provisions kicked ASS on this day. I had saved this pair after taking them out of my running rotation just for this purpose. I knew they were going to be donated at the end but I wanted them to go out on a high note. As much as possible, they provided great traction, drained quickly, and didn't bog down with too much mud. I'm certain this is well outside of what the shoes are designed for…but they should be proud of their effort. About 7 miles in, I did ditch the insoles as mud and rocks were getting trapped underneath and making it a more difficult run….and of course at the end, they hit the donation box to be power washed and to live again as someone else's big adventure shoes. Those shoes took me from a snowshoe race at 11,000 feet to the depths of the Valley of the Sun and 15 feet underwater…. my new slogan for Provisions is #we'llgoanywhereyoutakeus

The crew has already decided that they're up for a run at Tough Mudder 2015….so come out and join us if you'd like. The more, the dirtier, the harder, the bloodier…the better!

My racing season starts in earnest now with the Abq Half Marathon next weekend….then tri season is upon us with Ironman Coeur d'Alene squarely in my sights. Me, Endurance Obsession, Altra Running, Trisports.com, XTERRA Wetsuits, and Boston Bill Sunglasses will be ready for whatever it throws at us…..except electrocution….please don't electrocute me at the finish line of Ironman…thanks. :-)

See you out there….Peace…
#rethinkingrunning #toughmudderlegion #takeyouraltrasanywhere #enduranceobsession

Altra Olympus Review

Being an Altra Zero Drop Ambassador has its privileges. One of them, of course, is getting the shoes to run in and test out. I was thrilled the other nite when the UPS man dropped a box of Altra ultra cushioned Olympus shoes for me to give a go.

As excited as I was to try the shoes….I was also wary. After spending years transitioning from a heavy heel crasher to a more efficient mid foot striker, I've worked my way down from high heel, severe drop shoes all the way to lightly cushioned Altras. I've seen other friends and athletes wearing Hoka shoes and as much as I was curious about how they felt, I never had the desire to open my wallet for a pair. That fact was reinforced at a local triathlon last season when I slowed at an aid station for a drink and some guy in Hokas came squishing up behind me sounding like a duck running on a wet blanket. Once I saw that Altra had entered the ultra cushioned market, however…I was determine to give them a try.

I decided on a 7 mile loop from my house for the maiden run where most of the trails were gravel, dirt and just a few rocky areas. Right out of the chute I noticed an issue….my normal landing area was directly on the "rocker" part of the sole where the shoe transitions from mid foot to toe. It was kind of a no man's land where I was either too forward and landing on my toes or running what seemed to be flat footed in order to take advantage of all of that cush…some easy adjustments to stride and landing put me back where I belong.

I assumed the shoes would be great on the flats…but the hills looked like a problem? The downhills would probably be sloppy and the uphills would eat all of my energy trying to push out of the "hole" in that cushioning. In fact, nothing could have been further from the truth. The Olympus does a great job of removing the road or trail from the running equation. It takes the "feel" of the trail away from your feet but doesn't substantially change the way you run or your running economy.

I described the feeling to my wife (and running partner) as a case of "mild neuropathy" of the feet. That is, you can't really feel anything except a slight give in the soles….but you can still tell you're running. The Olympus doesn't at all give the feeling of running on pillows….more like firm cushions that give when they need to, but don't bottom out and leave you a big hole to climb out of. All in all…they are a very comfortable ride (and they made me taller too!)

The last test for me was running up the 12% incline back to my house thru Boca Negra Canyon. I assumed that on a hill that steep….the shoes would have to rob some of my momentum and slow me down, but again…the Olympus came thru with ease. I scooted up the hill as I would in my Provisions, only missing some of the feel of the trail on the way up.

So…who are these shoes for? It's probably easier to say who they are NOT for. The are probably not for elite runners who are looking to PR on a technical trail run/race. They are probably not for a runner who lands on their toes and cannot adjust to a more mid foot strike. They're probably not for guys or girls who are 6'10" because hey…the world doesn't need any more 7 footers.

Other than that I'd say that almost any runner would benefit from the Olympus. They might become your everyday, every run shoe…or they might become your recovery run, or "just go out and cruise" shoe. I'd definitely have them in the arsenal for long days on the road or trails because let's face it….any amount of impact attenuation per step is going to add up over the course of 10,15,26, or more miles.

For me, I'm psyched to have the Olympus in my Altra running stable. I suffer from what I'll call "contractile cramping" in longer runs. That is, a muscle can only expand and contract so many times before it decides to call it a day and shut down. This has been a common problem in some 70.3 and all Ironman distance races I've done. The only way to get past it is to either reduce the number of strides by over striding (bad idea), increase the number of strides but lighten the impact by running baby steps (not as bad…but not great), or somehow find a way to reduce the damage each foot strike does…..Bingo! That's where the Olympus comes in to my plan. A race like the SOMA 70.3 in Tempe, AZ is run on almost all hard, white concrete paths. There has NEVER been a time in my 6 trips down there that I have not cramped…but the Olympus might just ride in and save the day. I'll be testing them out for sure at SOMA this season and potentially at Ironman Coeur d'Alene as well.

If you've suffered the impact of too much running I'd suggest giving the Olympus a go. They are definitely NOT what you're thinking about ultra cushioned shoes….there is nothing sloppy about them. What they are a damn fine pair of shoes that give you the chance to run hard, feel good, and have your legs thank you when the run is over. What runner wouldn't want that?

I'm planning a loop of the 3 Sisters volcanos this weekend in the Olympus and will write some thoughts on that longer, more technical run next week.

Check them out at your local running shop or at www.altrazerodrop.com

#rethinkingrunning #zerolimits

Zero Drop It Like It's Hot

You may have noticed…..by the large pictures staring back at you, that I've been chosen as an Altra Zero Drop Ambassador for 2014.

Me?
Me!

I was probably more surprised than you are….and with good reason. In most races I'm an absolute threat to finish squarely in the middle of the pack. Maybe in smaller races my chances improve…but for a guy who used to weigh 240 pounds and was headed to an early grave, just finishing is a major charge.

So…why would Altra want me?

Good question…..it's not like I was going to stop wearing the shoes if they didn't. I like to tell people that Newtons re-taught me how to run….Altras allowed me to run properly without blisters and hot spots.

I remember my first Altra run around Tempe Town Lake at the start of Ironman Arizona in 2012. On the advice of a friend, Arne Leonard, I ran out to Roadrunner Sports the night before the race while my wife was repacking her transition bags for the 15th time. I found a pair of Altra Zero Drop running shoes and wore them to spectate and volunteer the next day. Arne and I ran the perimeter of the lake once the swim started and the first thing I remember was this weird "my toes aren't jammed together" feel. When my foot would strike there was actually room to move in there….the exact opposite of what I'd been taught…that you need "snug" shoes that don't let your feet move around to avoid blisters.

Hmmmm…maybe these Altra people were onto something?

I continued wearing the Provisions and they gradually won the majority vote to banish the remaining Newtons on my shoe rack.

Not only do I run better in Altras…..but I feel better too. Other running shoes are like your mother over your shoulder yelling at you to put your foot this way….move your toes that way….strike here, strike there. I have an Italian mother…and I know from yelling.
Altras are like your cool, younger aunt who just tells you to go with it if it feels good.

Thanks, I think I will.

So again, why would they want me?

Well….as President of EO Racing, I do speak to a lot of people in the running and endurance sports community regularly. As a coach, I do work with athletes to help them improve and enjoy their sport more. As a speaker, I do get the stage in front of sometimes sizable audiences from time to time. And finally, as a guy who was given his life back by running, I do love to preach the word whenever anyone will listen. So maybe, just maybe….Altra sees something in me that they see in themselves….an underdog who started at the back of the pack and thru relentless effort keeps moving up. Slowly, surely….keep moving up. Me and Altra….cool.

I'll be wearing Altra Zero Drop shoes at the following races this season:

Tough Mudder Arizona - April (what pair am I going to sacrifice to Big Mudder??)
Albuquerque Half Marathon - April
Jay Benson Triathlon - May
HITS Full Distance Triathlon - May
Toughman AZ Triathlon Festival - June
Ironman Coeur D'Alene - June
Survival of the Shawangunks Adventure Triathlon - September
SOMA 70.3 Triathlon - October
Seattle Half Marathon - November

And….here's the deal. If you pass me, I'm going to tell you how freaking awesome you are. If I pass you, I'm going to tell you how freaking awesome you are going to be when you pass me back in a half mile. If you fall, I'll pick you up. If you fall again, I'll stay with you until someone else can come and pick you up. And if you cry, well hell….I'll probably cry too. When I finish, I'm coming back to the finish line to scream you all in….because that's just the way I roll.

Deal?

See you out there….

#rethinkingrunning
#rethinkingthemeaningofracing
#zerolimits
#zeroegos

Thoughts at 50

So…I turned 50 a few weeks ago.

50….as in a half a century old.

That thought doesn't freak me out the way you might think. I have no cares about getting old…..no one stops the clock (except Ronnie the Limo Driver) and so there is no use worrying about it. The thing that blew my mind was that I was 50! A half a century. I remember as a kid, I couldn't imagine living to see the year 2000. That would be the year I turned 36. It was almost a definite that I wasn't going that far….for reasons that are cloudy now. So 50 was completely out of the question…yet here I am.

I was proud to turn 40. I'd just done my first marathon…..did my first Ironman at age 40. I felt like I was better than 40 when I reached that landmark. At 50….I'm not really sure what I feel. It's kind of a no man's land.

I don't feel old….but no longer feel young. Maybe that's exactly where I'm supposed to be. I hear those ridiculous sayings "50 is the new…." It's the new and the old freaking 50…that's what it is! Why try to make it something it's not?

So…where does that leave me? Not sure really….I'm just here. I do realize that there are some things in life that I'm simply going to run out of time on….not that I can't do them….but I won't have enough years to do them. Even with that, I plan on a pretty accomplished resume by the time I check out of here.

This Sunday I'll run the Sweetheart Run 10K with my sweetheart Michi…..my first race as a 50 year old. I expect that I'll run hard, it'll hurt…and I'll either have a good race or a bad one. In other words….no different than when I was 49.

Except I'm not 49…..I'm 50…..