On the Road Again…and Again…and Again
It’s that time of year again when the snow flies, the ice piles up on the roads and masochistic running junkies like me head out into the weather to get in their Boston Marathon training. Ahhh the pleasure of coming back from a brisk winter run with icicles hanging from your mustache and hat, the warm and soothing ache of feeling your fingers and toes reform their molecular structure from frozen to flesh, the joy of scraping frozen Gatorade from your jacket where you missed your mouth at mile 5 and the pleasure of listening to your wife’s supportive welcome home message “don’t touch anything until you shower and burn those clothes….and no I don’t want a hug”.
In truth, it’s not that bad. In only half the runs does it really get that cold. The other half are colder. But I like the cooler weather. No bugs, you don’t sweat as much, don’t need as much water, and once you get warmed up you feel…well…invincible.
It could be worse. I read an awesome book over the summer, “Born to Run”, that advocates that running shoes are the source of most injuries and that running barefoot is the answer. Try that in the snow. But more on that in the next blog.
So, while training for Boston thru a Boston winter is a challenge, especially while holding down a high tech job, it is not nearly the challenge that many people go through on a daily basis to find a job to support their family, or rescue their children from an abusive relationship, or struggle to find a place to live other than their car, or to fight the demons of drugs and alcohol, or to support a mentally or physically handicapped child or to face another day of depression and hopelessness. I consider myself blessed and as long as my legs will hold up and I can do something to help I will be out on those roads, growing icicles, leaving footprints in the snow, freezing my butt off and considering myself lucky.
As the Willie Nelson song goes, I’m “On the Road again”. I know times are tough for everyone so this year I'm even more grateful for your support both verbally and financially (you can donate to Citizens for Adequate Housing at http://www.firstgiving.com/davidfowler3). And if this message finds you struggling please remember you are not alone and there are people out there working to offer a helping hand, ear and more.
Till next time....
It’s that time of year again when the snow flies, the ice piles up on the roads and masochistic running junkies like me head out into the weather to get in their Boston Marathon training. Ahhh the pleasure of coming back from a brisk winter run with icicles hanging from your mustache and hat, the warm and soothing ache of feeling your fingers and toes reform their molecular structure from frozen to flesh, the joy of scraping frozen Gatorade from your jacket where you missed your mouth at mile 5 and the pleasure of listening to your wife’s supportive welcome home message “don’t touch anything until you shower and burn those clothes….and no I don’t want a hug”.
In truth, it’s not that bad. In only half the runs does it really get that cold. The other half are colder. But I like the cooler weather. No bugs, you don’t sweat as much, don’t need as much water, and once you get warmed up you feel…well…invincible.
It could be worse. I read an awesome book over the summer, “Born to Run”, that advocates that running shoes are the source of most injuries and that running barefoot is the answer. Try that in the snow. But more on that in the next blog.
So, while training for Boston thru a Boston winter is a challenge, especially while holding down a high tech job, it is not nearly the challenge that many people go through on a daily basis to find a job to support their family, or rescue their children from an abusive relationship, or struggle to find a place to live other than their car, or to fight the demons of drugs and alcohol, or to support a mentally or physically handicapped child or to face another day of depression and hopelessness. I consider myself blessed and as long as my legs will hold up and I can do something to help I will be out on those roads, growing icicles, leaving footprints in the snow, freezing my butt off and considering myself lucky.
As the Willie Nelson song goes, I’m “On the Road again”. I know times are tough for everyone so this year I'm even more grateful for your support both verbally and financially (you can donate to Citizens for Adequate Housing at http://www.firstgiving.com/davidfowler3). And if this message finds you struggling please remember you are not alone and there are people out there working to offer a helping hand, ear and more.
Till next time....
4 comments:
Dave you are such an amazing person,and now another talent shines through--an Erma Bombeck talent to turn the painful into a funny adventure--almost makes me want to join you for the fun (operative word--almost). You make us all so proud and want to strive to emulate your optimism, the lives you touch every day and last but not least your infectious laugh--even when it would be so much easier to cry. Run on Dave, the Bentley family is behind you all the way with lots of love and cheers!
Looking forward to more of these blog posts, Dave. Keep on keepin on. Your wet, but not so cold fans in Washington State, are cheering you on... Keep on keepin on...
Genial dispatch and this post helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you as your information.
Dave, I actually thought of you on Sunday as I finished my first 1/2 Marathon here in Austin...and presto there is an email from you and this blog post. You are an inspiration to all of us and certainly are still pushing me from afar when I struggle to keep on training.
Looking forward to following along again here on the blog.
/kff
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