-Leaving Shortcut Aid Station, 2010 AC (photo by Katherine DeSplinter)
I think I heard Oprah or Dr. Phil say the above entry title once. I don't watch those shows (ever), it was merely overheard accidentally, but it still is ringing true for me right now. Work and school have been demanding in their own respective right, and I've accordingly had a long semester of long days. Of course after being surrounded by engineering problems hour after hour after hour, you'd love to take off down some windy single track, shoot through some rocky sections, climb a brutally steep long climb, take it all in, and shoot back down ready to take care of every last eigenvalue, ECR, and energy band diagram... (I envision a gripping screenplay) ..But, alas, my body hasn't quite cooperated 100%.
So, though I am glad and grateful to have a good chance of having a nice job, being out of school, and having plenty of time and money to train in hopes of chasing a competitive time at a certain mountain 100.. I am sad to say that right now, my climbing muscles feel like mush, my ankles feel brittle and weak, and I feel like my body is fighting me in my workouts. In all fairness, this is a fair assessment looking back on the success I had earlier this year when I had a solid block of training before Badwater and AC that allowed me to run decent times while learning more about the true nature of the distances (i.e. blowing up). What it boils down to is a specific feeling of confidence in my abilities that just isn't there right now.
At any rate, I'll close out the year with The North Face Endurance Challenge, San Francisco, see how well my mini-workouts have been working, and put my best foot forward knowing full well that it's okay that this is not my time to shine, but a time to soak in the experience and pack away motivation for 2011. I think that is priceless stuff for those long, hard, 100+ mile weeks that really beg the question, "how bad do you want to win?"
This guy wants it bad.
Of course, this post couldn't be complete with just dramatic photos and accompanying rambling prose.. It's needs THIS SONG which comes highly recommended by Jamie. I happen to love the new self titled album by Say Anything and also concur, it is one of the best songs ever about doing better, and by the way, the lyrics are kinda clever..
Say Anything - Do Better.
8 comments:
Great post until you put up a picture of Kobe. I disdain the Lakers!
Did you wear a Lakers jersey a couple of years ago during SM50k?
Yeah, but that was a Nick Van Exel Jersey. You'll eventually root for the lakers, living here.. who else are you gonna root for, the clippers??
Yea I remember the jersey. I had a good laugh at that and thought it was cool that someone would rock one during a race.
I am a fanatical about the Jazz. I need to start wearing a Jazz jersey at the races.
yeah... where do you get all those "dramatic photos" anyway? Someone is pretty good with an Olympus and an old version of Photoshop. Jeeze Louise.
i think it says so.. right there. I would never take a picture without citing the photographer!
Great post!!!love the video...
Awesome perspective - patience (and hard work) really IS a virtue. Nice to hear your thoughts as a lot of them coincide with mine...although you're on a completely different level altogether :-) We must go for some runs together post North Race!
Thanks Smartwool! Love your socks!
And thanks June, but I disagree on one point: you are a stellar runner too! I'm sure we'll run soon at a coyote run or something else, good luck in Marin!
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