Runnerguymark

Back in the days when I coached cross country one of the first things I addressed, at the start of the first practice, was weather and the cancellation policy. Basically the policy went like this: If the weather is bad enough to cancel a meet, then practice is cancelled. I left the parents an out (we're talking about fourth through eighth graders), but in five years of coaching I never cancelled a practice, and I only remember ending one early once. The point: I was going to be there for whoever wanted to practice. In secret I always hoped for one bad weather day early in the season, just to see who showed up. Those were gonna be the ones I could count on when needed, the ones who would do whatever they had to to succeed. This week I got the chance to apply the same reasoning to myself. I'm finally making a comeback after a couple years of injury, indifference, and other life stuff, and so far things have gone well. I'm in week ten of a fifteen week half marathon training cycle and have been hitting mileages and speeds I haven't seen in a while. Then came Wednesday: speed work, which as many of you know is my favorite something I wish I could live without. I also knew the weather forecast called for showers later in the morning, but if I went out now I should be able to get the workout in. Sounded like a good plan. Someone didn't check the radar. I ran a ten minute warmup, then launched into the first of the speed segments, 5 minutes at 5k pace. About a minute in I felt the first drops. By three minutes in it was raining pretty heavily, enough so that the rain drops that were getting in my mouth were causing me to cough. I finished the first segment and just about called the workout when I had several thoughts at once: The nearest possible shelter was about half a mile away, the dugouts at the softball fields in the park where I was running I'm already soaked WHAT WOULD THE CROSS COUNTRY KIDS SAY??! So I finished the workout. I even hit the proper times for the speed segments. Thursday I had a couple short slow runs on the schedule for recovery, managed to get rained on during both of them. Today, fourteen miles...in the rain. Tomorrow is a day off to drive to Georgia for a college visit where my son wants to go to school. I'd like to get a run in Sunday to take a look at the campus. The forecast says....

I can't begin to describe how happy I am for you. You've taught us all a lesson on not giving up on your dreams! Now rest up, start planning for the next one (hint, Glass City, hint) where you will get the improvement you need to make it into Boston.

"It is in some regards far easier to fight the beast if you don't know how hard she punches." Best quote I've seen in a bloop in a long time. Your ability to take those punches and keep going is an inspiration. Keep it up!!

Best wishes to your dad, hope for good news at the appointment. Happy birthday!!! I hope you choose Marshall 2018, I'm planning to be there.

Recovery first, then stories, we'll still be here.

Glad you're getting back to it, wish I could be there, the Pig was a fun race. Daughter's college graduation and son's last show choir performance are that same weekend.