Loss of a Friend

I run because it reminds me that I am alive.  Because it reminds me of what is truly important, to not worry so much about the destination, but to focus on the journey.  To have peace within, so that we can love those around us and those who we care about.  I run for the exhilaration of freedom, escaping into the mountains or even the sidewalks reminds me of all the beauty that God has put into His creation.  The fact that I get to witness it everyday is a miracle in itself.

Yesterday I found out that a good childhood friend and his wife were killed in a car accident, leaving behind three young boys.  As I ran this morning the memories of him flooded my head, from the first time we met in fourth grade; to when we were playing Little League together and into High School.

I still remember the conversation he and I had the night before I decided to join the Army.  I was working a dead end job, trying to go to Junior College and I ran into him at the Mobile Station across from the Arnot Mall.  He had just enlisted in the Marines and suggested I go and talk to them.  The next  day I went to speak with the Marines, but they weren't there, an Army recruiter was.  The rest of that story is how my life has turned out from there. But I have R. to thank for that push towards a career in the Military.  I am sure he doesn't have any idea how much influence that one conversation had on my entire life, and I will be forever grateful.

Over the years, R. and I were not very close; we would hang out when we were home together, but time and distance does what it does and it has honestly been years since I have thought about him.  That doesn't make this tragedy hurt any less, in fact it may hurt more because of it.  I never met his wife or his boys, except through facebook photos, and that makes his loss that much harder.

I spent time in prayer with God as I ran today, he took me to the Roller Coaster for 10 miles with over 1,000 ft of climbing and it was here that I learned a small lesson in life: we all have an expiration date, but just because we will all die and we will all lose people we care about does not give us an excuse to wallow in misery.  Life is for the living, mourn for those we lose, but live your life that much harder and love people more because we never know when our time will come.

Off My Rocker: Or How a Snow Day Caused Me to Sign Up for a Hundo!

It had to have been the left over endorphins from Run Rabbit Run.  Or maybe I had looked at the pictures of that event too recently.  Or it could have been 30 hours of steady facebook updates as I waited for news of Friends from Loopville run around Huntsville at Rocky Raccoon.  I am not sure, but whatever it was got me thinking that I could do it too. 

So yesterday, as the snow was falling, Sarah told me to go ahead and plan my race schedule for the year and do you know what the first race I signed up for was?  Thats right....a 100 miler, a Hundo, the Big Shibang...The Virgil Crest 100 Mile Trail Race, September 21-22 in Virgil NY (Running up and over Greek Peak ski resort....TWICE)

Stinkin Crazy, Right?  I know...

Sarah gave me some reasuring words tonight though, as Miss K asked what the word average meant, Sarah answered that it is when people settle for what they have and stop trying to pursue more, when someone stops reaching for excellence and just settles.  Not necessarily happy, but not unhappy either...just living. 

Then Sarah turned and said to Keira "but your daddy is anything but average...he is eccentric, and always going further and yes after signing up for a 100 mile race, proved that he is off his rocker...he is many things, but not average" 

To this Keira says, "Oh, well I love my daddy too"

Maybe I am off my rocker, a little bit insane, and possibly eccentric...but I dont want to live my life any other way.  So here is too 100 miles in 30 hours...no, it is not your average weekend run.