Thanks for the other comment prompting a post, Carolyn. I've been postponing this entry.
I participated in the sweetH20 50K. I went in excited but came out with a big fat DNF after 18ish miles. I'm used to walk in the park 50Ks and this one was NOT. That said, I've never had so much fun doing a race than this one. You'll have to check out nevels.fastrunningblog.com for a complete race report...I didn't make it the whole way. :) What I did do wasn't a race at all but an adventure. I don't know when I've had so much fun during a race.
The plus side to the DNF is the face I got to meet/see folks that are LONG gone by the time I normally finish a race. I even got to hear about Nevels research topic for his thesis....very interesting stuff.
That said, I still went home with my head down for not trying to push just a bit further and go just a bit longer. I sent such an email to my mentor in Memphis, TN. She sent me this quote from Theodore Roosevelt:
”The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls WHO NEITHER KNOW VICTORY NOR DEFEAT."
I feel much better. Thanks hoochie mama, you are the best!
Most importantly, check out what some very caring (and crazy) folks are doing to raise $ for resarching a terminal childhood disease: http://runacrossalabama.blogspot.com/
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