Week 12 - Never Grow Old, Never Ever Die Young

"Never grow old, never ever die young." 

- James Taylor

Six weeks to go!

This week could not have been more special than what it was.  The highlight clearly was running in the Ohio Northern University cross country meet Friday night vs. Bluffton, Tiffin, and Ohio  Christian universities.  As I posted on my Facebook site, "I was first in my age group."

Then on Saturday morning just twelve hours later and about 147 miles away from Bluffton, in Westlake, Ohio, I ran the Celebrate Westlake 5K.  In both events over the two days, I ran without a watch or my IPod.  I just concentrated on my effort and breathing and my performance improved.

This is me running for Ohio Northern in the fall of 1969:

This is me 46 years later:

Back in 1968 and 1969 we had eight members on the cross country team.  Even better, there is now a women's team that is plentiful in numbers. This is what the men's team looks like today with one older fella in the middle, but it connects 47 years of ONU cross country history if even for only one night:

What a gift this week was for me on so many levels.  And then it got better. 

I held back during the Westlake race. I wanted to be in control.  No injuries please. I just needed a little speed work to keep myself honest. When I use to be good, I never wore a watch or listened to music.  I listened to my body, sometimes prayed, and I always experienced what was happening all around me. I did my best work back then.  The music on this part of the journey has helped to get me to this point. As I move forward these last six weeks, the music will be less and less a part of the training experience.  I just want to "be" when I run.

In the days leading up to these back to back races, this past Wednesday, was its own special moment.  I ran most of the first half of the new Akron Marathon course.  Here's a spectacular view of Downtown Akron from the 5 mile mark on the All-America Bridge:

Then on Thursday in the late afternoon, the power went out at home around 5:30 p.m. so rather than just sit around in the dark and wait for the lights to come on, I went to Sand Run Parkway and got five miles in just because.  Talk about a massive change in a Homer Simpson like attitude in a person.  The run was alone and because of the light rain and the fact the road had been shut down to traffic, I had the trail mostly to myself.  It was quietly exhilarating. Had I not gone, these are sights that I would have missed Thursday night on the Sand Run Trail:

Four solid days of running in a row.  I changed the Hal Higdon schedule slightly to accommodate my body.  I took today off but The Boss and I did a ten mile bike ride late yesterday and then went out on kayaks for around ninety minutes this morning. Tomorrow is a 20 mile run.  I think I will do two round trips of the Kent to Silver Lake Trail plus two miles.  I will let you know how I did next Sunday.

Here's the biggest news of the week for me.  I am no longer clinically obese.  I'm just overweight.  Oh yeah, my weight is south of 220 pounds.  I haven't seen these kinds of numbers since the Olympics were in Atlanta. 

So what was really special about this week? I had fun. Lots of fun.  I got a paycheck on my training and it felt good. I'm still young inside and I am reconnected to a time that gave me The Woman I'm Related to By Marriage and memories of real physical speed.  I may not be that "Sixties" guy anymore, but the spirit still lives in this guy in his mid-sixties.  Like James Taylor says in his song, "Never grow old, never ever die young."  I'm pretty sure I know what he means.  Great advice. I think I'll take it. Better yet.  I think I will continue to put it into practice. It will keep me young, and last time I checked, I'm not dead yet.  That's a very good thing!