It’s not about the shoes

In this era of Honey Boo-Boo Child and when Colorado is the least fat state with a 20.9 % obesity rate, here is a story that will make you feel that maybe we can reverse the trend.

There is a woman in my office who, upon discovering that I was a runner, revealed that she is going to be running a marathon in seven weeks.  “Which one” I asked.  “The Boulder Backroads” she replied.  “Oh, that’s a beautiful course, around the reservoir” I said.  She asked if I’d run it before.  “Yes” I said, “three times.”  “Wow, this is my first, first marathon ever.”  She went on to tell me that she was following a Hal Higdon training plan and that she had chosen the Boulder Backroads because the course is mostly dirt roads and her podiatrist said it would be easier on her feet.  She thinks it will take her about five hours to cover the distance.  She had tried to run a marathon last year, but had developed a stress fracture in her foot.  She said running a marathon was a bucket list item for her; kind of a reward.  

Later that day I mentioned her marathon plan to another co-worker who told me the rest of her story.  Three years ago this woman was obese.  She found religion, started eating healthy and exercising.  She endured the gentle teasing of her co-workers about the oatmeal she was eating.  She lost over 100 lbs.  She literally changed her life.  When she wasn’t running or exercising at the gym, she walked.  She set a goal, created a plan, got advice from experts and went to work.  Imagine that; a sensible diet and moderate exercise, the keys to weight loss. 

Often at the start of a marathon the Master of Ceremonies, in an effort to kill time, will ask the crowd if this is their first marathon.  Usually about 2/3rds of the runners will raise their hands.  For many participants that marathon will be their only marathon; an item they can check off their list, like bungee jumping or seeing the Grand Canyon.  For this woman running represented so much more; a life changing goal. 

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Crazy Eights

Saturday the Rocky Mountain Road Runners held their monthly Trophy Series race at the Platte River Trailhead Park in Thornton.  The temperature at 6:00 am was 49 degrees; an early taste of fall.  The race was well attended.  I covered the course in just under 53 minutes or about 6:37 / mile. 

As Eric Greene ran past me with a mile to go, I remembered a time when I used to beat him.  Thanks to the magic of the internet, I was able to find results from an RMRR MTS 10 mile race which was held on July 16^th, 2006.  I finished 2^nd in 1:05:06.  Eric finished 11^th in 1:17:26.  The fact that Eric beat me by nearly 24 minutes at the last 20 mile race is irrelevant. 

I call the race Crazy Eights because it was an EIGHT mile run, held on September EIGHTH at 8:00 at the Platte River Trailhead Park which is located at 88^th Street and Colorado Boulevard.  Deep man, very deep.