Intention

Two weeks ago Boodini was flat out, April was passing, Hells race was missed with a broken hand and crapped out back. Massanutten was cancelled without a reach around. So off we set on a test the back 7 miler in the hood, afterwards it was no worse for wear. With two weeks left in the month and no running mileage, we thought about doing 100 miles before April ended. It would take 6 miles everyday to do it, so challenge accepted. The first four days was going, then two days off weather and flimsy attitude stopped everything. Facing the weekend in deficit we rallied to tye the mark. Off again and taking one day off, the goal was finished in 12 days. Today is an off day, and tommorrow might see running? Then May begins. In the younger days we could knock off a 100M in 24 to 35 hrs a pop depending on flatland or mountains, now it takes half a month. With what you think so you will behold!

Lunch Break?

Most of the really cool blogs that I go to read have all gone on hiatus, and just have shut down.
They have always been prolific, almost daily, or at least frequent. Well, it's been a week for me and Boodini, but that's not unusual, never intended to do much or say so before. But it does seem like the story where the girl says to her beau "I'm going to the store to get some bread" and never comes back. That's Tessa for you, where did she go to get some bread? Don't they have internet at the Hoggly Doggly? Well the other guy, he's well..we won't go there. Yesterday Boodini had to go for the annual checkup, I really hate that, she's the one who had to go, she despises it, but I have to take Boodini. Muffle on, shaking like a leaf on a tree, trying to growl and hiss at the Vet, oh well we got thru it. Vet said she didn't know about the teeth check, with a look that could kill "we aren't going there Doc!" Where do they get these trained professionals, better still where did Boodini come from? So see it's not that hard guys, just tell us anything, but just put "words on a page". We miss you!

Standing

We might sometimes feel like a candle in a hurricane, a picture with a broken frame, at the edge of a canyon with only one way down, alone and helpless like we lost our fight, we get mad, we get strong, we might bend, till we break cause it's all we can take, wipe our hands, shake it off, then we stand. For many of us we know the small towns, the streets lined with thousands upon thousands of  humanity cheering and extinguishing any thoughts in our mind except awe. Running Boston is the epic road race, as Western States100 is the ultra classic. All runners are related, our family, our  One. We all go through our hoods, trails and acknowledge our likeness, makes no difference. Life is always a danger, it is what we do. There are always risks in anything, the unknown. Nothing will ever stop us, we will go on. It will make no sense, but if we were to die it would be doing what is very dear to us. It would be said " they were doing what they loved", it was so for Rick I believe. We have no control over our end, but know it will come. If all we were was a body then so it is, but the spirit of running is beyond anything you or I can ever imagine, it drives us mile after mile. For no other reason, on and on runners pursue the journey, the starting line, and sometimes we finish the race. We will run the race and gain the finishers reward!

Best When Broken

So a few days before Easter, Boodini tried to tell me my right hand was broken. So I waited and this past Friday I got my brace which I will wear for a month. That is a good two weeks plus after the fact. The Doc.  was shocked when the X-rays revealed a spiral break and was convinced I must  need pain meds, no thanks, didn't need it when it happened , don't want it now. The Tuesday after Easter is when my back gave out after vacuuming a flooded office Tues after the killer rain we had. It has been my companion now for all this time. But today after missing Hell's race, and not running till today, it was time to see if running would make it worse. Well so far it hasn't after a seven miler in the hood at a easy test the water pace. Sometimes, and now is one of those times, I must take inventory, slow things down, quit looking at life through the wrong end of the telescope, get a haircut and a shave, get a ticket on the train back to reality, and yes, somehow figure what the heck. It's a time to let go, got my plastic Jesus on the dashboard, foot off the brake, pedal on the gas, and off we go on this lost highway.

In the Canyon

The last two weeks have raged havoc on the old body. First a hand then a back,it is as if age and fate have delivered the enemy the upper win. A much needed race cancelled, for no other reason than there was no physical way to perform. Ready to call in all endeavors,sometimes we must try and figure why the chicken has been screwed,and what are the gods telling us. Looks real bleak,but we are still above the earth breathing. So we move forward, ok maybe we crawl forward, Boodini is aging fast, but the fat lady has not sung. We are just waiting here for this elephant to get up off of us.