The path of least resistance...

Leaving the unforgiving cement and the traffic noise, congestion and "mean street"  environment that often brings an overload to the senses for the friendly, serene, soft footing, and quiet (oh so quiet) environment of a familiar wooded trail is usually a very satisfying experience for a runner such as myself.

Taking to such a trail is especially inviting because the obstacles are known - its familiarity brings with it a sense of comfort and safety. This path, the path of least resistance we will call it, is a safe path, going where others have gone before, providing a clear course on which to tread. 

Then the day comes of the decision to go "off-trail", to journey into the unknown.  Risky?  Sure.  Holes and trip hazards covered by the undergrowth, potentially poison plants, and animals unfriendly to this not before seen intruder all await.  Is the risk worth it?  Well, imagine popping out of the woods and finding yourself gazing out over a ravine or a valley exploding with fall colors under a spectacular sunset and you realize in that moment you are seeing, even more so experiencing, something few others ever will.  Oh yeah, it's worth it.

Do our personal lives resemble one of these images - the path of least resistance or going "off trail"?  How often do we conform to the readily available path rather than forging a new one?  Just last week I was speaking with a recent high school graduate who was trying to decide his path.  Obvious and available were the father's line of work or the opinion of the school guidance counselor.  Might I suggest he consider the question "what kills ya and what thrills ya?", and then carve a new path to where those two items intersect.

What kills you?  What motivates you such that you can’t do nothing? 
What thrills you?  What gets your heart pumping and your imagination running wild? 
Where might these two intersect for you?

Now take those same thoughts and emotions to work.  Might I suggest that we regularly check ourselves and, while weighing risks, consider what opportunities may be calling us to forge a new path for the benefit of the organization?  Consider the risk of not taking risk (i.e. change or die).  Who knows what hidden gems we may discover!  What kills ya?  What thrills ya?  What opportunities might be waiting in the cross-hairs of those answers?

Press on friends.

"The heights by great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night."  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
 

Hallucination 100 Mile Ultra Marathon

Just the facts, maam...

95 registered.  84 started.  26 finished.
My stats:  24:06, good for an AG win and 5th overall.

Everything an ultra should be - stupid hard mixed with soul searching and mind numbing euphoria.

Thanks to my Cause, Crew and Pacers for helping to make this happen!

For "the gory details" check out my Woodstock page...

For the story in pictures and song, check this out!  Another amazing work of art by Christine!

5 Days and scratching...

Wish that title was "5 days and counting", but the truth is I am spending all kinds of time and energy dealing with poison ivy!  Two weeks back I ran the Woodstock course, to scope it out, and ended up with the nastiness on several places on my legs.  It wasn't terrible and within a few days I had it under control.

Then Thursday evening I went for a short run with the Runnin Gear group and for the first time since that Sunday on the Woodstock course, wore those same shoes.  BIG MISTAKE! I honestly didn't give it a thought, but those shoes must have had the poison ivy oil on them because I woke up Friday with it all over my feet :-(  A trip to the doctor for a steroid topical was in order, as I didn't want to mess around.  It is now Sunday afternoon and my feet are feeling better (though they look nasty), but now it is all over my hands and I'm frankly growing mentally weary from this struggle.

I have small splotches of little red bumps in a number of other areas, and I'm hopeful those will not be the next areas to explode into full blown itchiness. 

The goal is to try to stay on task, get the taper running miles in, and eat better than I have the last few days (my tendency when things go poorly is to eat poorly).  The rest will just have to be what it is...

Each of my "epic" pursuits had a significant, defining, hurdle.  I suppose this race will be about the feet?

Several weeks back on a trail run I kicked a root hard (wearing the minimalist shoes with no real protection) and ended up with a very purple toe.  That proved to be a non-issue, but it sent chills through me as I feared I broke my toe.  Now, it's all about the poison ivy.

We shall overcome.  No matter what happens, you can bet I will be "toeing" the start line on Friday!

Press on friends.  I'm going to try and find the motivation to get a few miles in...

My purple toe on my ugly foot after losing the battle with a root...

My already ugly feet, made to look downright gnarly...