MARATHON LIFE RULE: START STRONG AND FINISH

I lived the marathon life rule in my twenties. At twenty-nine I took the plunge in Seaside.

The image is at the start of the race. No, I’m not a giant, but maybe in this crowd.

One does not simply ‘run’ a marathon without consequences, not if you plan on a one and done event, which I did.

Without training hard, a marathon is crippling. Sound familiar?

The link above points to a post about marathon preparation and the actual race. The clock on me at the end read 3:32.

The time wasn’t important. It didn’t qualify me for the Boston Marathon, which was one of the reasons I gave it a try. I’d like to say I qualified for Boston, but not at 3:32.

A conversation I had with a guy who’d never run anything went like this:

Him: “You ran a marathon? What was your time?”

Me: “Three hours and thirty two minutes. Seaside.”

Him: “So you didn’t actually ‘run’ a marathon.”

Marathon Life Time

I started fast, slowed down, collapsed, recovered, and crossed the finish line unassisted. Three and a half hours felt like a lifetime.

The final numbers added up to a roughly twelve minute mile pace, so I wasn’t Olympic material. But the time didn’t cut the learning experience, which is key.

Instead of training only on the road, I trained on basketball courts and the road. I joined a team of misfits so lame that I became the point guard, Magic Gillaspie. It was a running team of chunky guys who had a game schedule that included road trips and playing school faculties in front of the students.

They weren’t quitters or losers or chumps, just basketball guys who loved playing the game. I was lucky to find them.

Lessons Of A Marathon

A marathon lesson is like electoral politics in that you get an idea, hash it out, make a plan, and go for it. And keep going and going and going.

After checking sources, wiki, it doesn’t appear Joe Biden has run a marathon. Why would he after running so many races to represent Delaware since the ’70’s. A marathon might be too easy.

If he does decide to hit the road for 26.2 miles, Runners World has a few tips for him after seeing him run in Pittsburgh.

Voting for anyone right now feels like a full disclosure mood ring. Remember mood rings? We wore them to show how happy, or unhappy, we were. They changed colors based on mood, hence Mood Ring. They were sold next to the Pet Rock display.

If you’re in the mood for a President who understands America, a President who has lived hard times like other Americans, and a President who knows the marathon value of planning, preparation, and execution of the plan, vote Joe.

If you’re more of a pet rock person, one who believes the latest load from Fox News and their ilk, vote Joe to annoy your friends.

Vote For A Better Man

One of my longtime members of boomerpdx commented that they preferred boomerpdx as an informational blog, not a political platform. Both are a stretch, and reveal more about the reader than the writer, me.

My blogging goals come to the front here; I’ll explain. I aim to hit the universal by way of the particular. What I mean is that I’m just a guy, a guy who decided to write, and write, and write. Whether sports, politics, family, or just more me me me, I write.

The proper label I’d attach to a writer like me, which is a badge of honor, is hack. I’m a proud writing hack pouring out post after post, year after year. If I found someone who wrote as much as I do, I’d follow them and send money. (Hint, hint.)

What I don’t do is advertise, pay for traffic, or pander to the lowest common denominator. I go with word of mouth, which is priceless. With that approach to life, I’ve been called names like coward, and liar, and thief for unrelated incidents. That’s a burden I gladly bear.

Bringing it all home, you can’t run a marathon if you are afraid of the truth and trying to steal a good time. You can start, but you won’t finish with that stinky wind beneath your wings.

In this election cycle, choose candidates who are not proven cowards, liars, and thieves. When you have a blue or black inked pen in one hand, your ballot in the other, look hard at the choices. Take your time, just don’t go over 3:32.

Then vote Joe Biden. I approve of this information on marathon life.