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Just run-Metric Marathon 2016

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Today I participated in the Metric Marathon.  I purposely chose this race to be the last official event of my season.  I wanted to test myself mentally and physically.  The course showed no mercy.  I was humbled by it once again.  The last time I ran this course was in 1999 and today I remembered why.  The hills were unforgiving. Take no prisoners.  The field was small. Limited to a few outsiders, like me, and members of the local running club.  It was well organized, but definitely not for the faint of heart.  Everyone was so wonderfully kind and cordial.  It was the best medicine for me today.  After the divisiveness in the news this past week, I need to just run.  I needed the fresh air. I needed to feel free from all the political rhetoric. I needed to be free from the labels and identify as “the runner.”  The running community is one that I enjoy very much. In the new world of “Garmin,” everyone is truly running their own race.  It is the one time people can congregate and share the open road. No drama. No shouting. No taking sides. Just everyone trying to get through the course.

I will write little about the run. I had no time goal for this run because of the high level of difficulty. It was just too hard to compare this road race to other races.  All I can say is on the RPE scale, it was 9/10.  My heart rate monitor stayed in zone in low 4 and flirted with zone 5 at points during the race as well due to the hills as well.  What I will say, is that it challenged me in many ways. The course reminded me that anything you want will NOT come easy. It reminded me that steadfastness, is the key to success. It reminded me that when all training plans and strategies fail, you must still go on.  It reminded me to run with my heart when I have nothing left in my legs and smile.  Mostly, it reminded me that I am alive and I am ok.  I have been running endurance races since 1996.  Over 20 yrs, I have learned how much I enjoy long courses for the mental and physical challenge.  I did not say I am good at them, but I enjoy them. They are like old friends who remind you that are ok. They remind that you have what it takes to journey on when things get tough. Today, I am grateful to have been able to run this course. 

I met so many kind people today. Exchanged pleasantries with a few people. At the end, several people congratulated me on my 4th place age group ranking.  One lady came over and said how she appreciated the kind words I shared with her as I passed her on the course. She hugged me.  Another gentlemen was kind as well.  He hugged me and said how happy it was that I was there and to see me finish strong.  One person was a person of color and another was Caucasian.  Did it matter?  NOPE.  In that moment, we were runners.  That is all that mattered. 

Today, I decided no matter what I would thank every volunteer.  I would smile and thank them. Why?  Simply because there were so few people of color on the course. It was important to me to extent an olive branch whenever possible.  I did not do it for them. I did it for me.  I believe in genuine kindness. I chose to play the “ambassador of good will.”  So there I was at every turn smiling and staying, “Thank you for being here.”  It was wonderful.  They smiled as well.  We live in a changed world now.  We all have a responsibility to “try” to extend “the olive branch” when can.  It is the only way our country will improve.  What will you do today? 

Guess what we are all in this together.  Shut off your tv and go for bike, run or walk.  Create your own new “reality” tv.  Don’t let others shape your reality.  You do it. 

It is all about the journey.

Coach Stacy

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