March 8, 2010, The long run
In the long run, we're all dead, of course (a quote widely attributed to John Maynard Keynes). But... in the short run, some of us can go on "the long run"... anyway, to add to my 25 marathon finishes, we add yesterday's USATF Championship/Caumsett Park 50-K, around 5 miles longer than a marathon. Only the showing up of five more people who hadn't pre-registered kept me from an age group medal... bastards! While not quite expiating the demons of last year's failed attempt at a 50-miler, it does, as Mrs. TD suggests, begin to put me in the realm of perhaps "honorary Tarahumura" (a reference to the fabulous book Born to Run, which, like the 50-K, I also recently finished; thematically, btw, I heard that the great Scott Jurek came out to yesterday's event, to pace his girlfriend in the companion 25-K race.)
Anyway, while having not seen the multiple Oscar-winning "The Hurt Locker"... that certainly feels like a place I should put my clothes right now... as... I'm hurting.
A 69-year old veteran ultramarathoner called out to me (as he was passing me on a turnaround!) to note my toughness for continuing through what was clearly visible pain and discomfort... the kind of "toughness" the marshmallows in the White House (led by the mis-named "Rahmbo," and the accurately named "Obambi") are not showing on the single issue that will rightly cost them the next election while they foolishly calculate that it will actually help them.)
I'm just going to soak my feet now. This has been... "the long run."