I have started what some would consider simply an act of lunacy. On my birthday I run my years of age in miles. This year was by far the most difficult, but not just because it is one mile longer than last year. For some reason this year I simply have not been running the long mileage that I have in past years. Still, I really wanted to maintain the tradition. So I set out early Tuesday morning with clear expectations to finish. The run itself is a celebration of life and all of the possibilities. This years run seemed to embody my life as a whole. The run was difficult to start but pure stubbornness kept me going. Some miles seemed to fly by in a blur while some miles seemed to last forever. Uphill sections slowed me to a crawl and I got to cruise a few downhill sections. There were scenic overlooks where I stopped to enjoy the view and hot pavement where I simply kept running. There were a few points where I stopped to consider just what the heck I was doing and a few places where family members helped me keep going. It seems to me that running is a lot like life and long runs emphasize the similarities. So this week I'm continuing the journey, both in life and in my running. I hope anyone reading this gets to celebrate life with enthusiasm.
