Born to Run
Today I am grateful for my marriage to Darcy and the shared passion and persistence we have for our running.
"Born to Run" is a good song by Bruce Springsteen as well as a statement applicable to yours truly. I do believe I was born to run. But I also just got done reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, copyright 2009.
It was a very interesting and enjoyable read for me. It focused on the many aspects of running, particularly running long distances-really long like 50 or 100 miles. It delved into the running ways of ultrarunners and the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, as well as turning many ideas about the best running shoes upside down. It describes why we literally were born to run, going back to early humans. I found it fascinating.
I am one of those runners who feels like as I run longer I get stronger. I have had marathons where I have had a negative split (running the second 13.1 faster than the first 13.1) as evidence.
Running for me is less about times and numbers though, and more about being out there step after step, mile after mile, in any and all weather conditions. I feel so fully alive and healthy.
One of the best lines from the book, attributed to the ultra runner known as the "Dipsea Demon," is as follows:
"You don't stop running because you get old, you get old because you stop running . . ."
Jack Kirk was the real name of the "Dipsea Demon." He earned the nickname in an early Dipsea Trail race in California and ended up running the tough 7.1 mile race 67 consecutive times. The last time was at age 96. He died at the age of 100. He lived the lines above.
Mind willing, body able, this running soul will keep running too.
Because of a work commitment, I will be taking a blog break until this weekend. More when I return. Have a good day and week!
"Born to Run" is a good song by Bruce Springsteen as well as a statement applicable to yours truly. I do believe I was born to run. But I also just got done reading Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, copyright 2009.
It was a very interesting and enjoyable read for me. It focused on the many aspects of running, particularly running long distances-really long like 50 or 100 miles. It delved into the running ways of ultrarunners and the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, as well as turning many ideas about the best running shoes upside down. It describes why we literally were born to run, going back to early humans. I found it fascinating.
I am one of those runners who feels like as I run longer I get stronger. I have had marathons where I have had a negative split (running the second 13.1 faster than the first 13.1) as evidence.
Running for me is less about times and numbers though, and more about being out there step after step, mile after mile, in any and all weather conditions. I feel so fully alive and healthy.
One of the best lines from the book, attributed to the ultra runner known as the "Dipsea Demon," is as follows:
"You don't stop running because you get old, you get old because you stop running . . ."
Jack Kirk was the real name of the "Dipsea Demon." He earned the nickname in an early Dipsea Trail race in California and ended up running the tough 7.1 mile race 67 consecutive times. The last time was at age 96. He died at the age of 100. He lived the lines above.
Mind willing, body able, this running soul will keep running too.
Because of a work commitment, I will be taking a blog break until this weekend. More when I return. Have a good day and week!
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