Over the Hill

He gets up before the dawn, grabs his pack and shoots down his coffee. It's Western 100 race day as he's climbing devil's thumb down to another canyon. Those burning rays are wearing down his body. The 100 miler's bucket is worth the price of gold, always a struggle that never goes easy. But he's still holding on. He just takes the trail another round, climbing up and going down the other side of the mountain, and sends up another prayer. He say's Lord, I never complain, I never ask why, please don't let my dreams run dry, underneath this ultrarunning sky. That Leadville DNF back in 01 sure did a toll on his vision. But he stayed strong and carried on. The very next year he slammed, not just 4 but all 5, and stayed stealth in the shadows. On his knees every night he prays please let my friends and me keep running, cause that's all we've ever known.
He just takes the trail another round, watching ridge and valley passing by running towards the beautiful distance, and sends up another pray. He always says, Lord I never complain, I never ask why, please don't let my dreams run dry, underneath that ultra running sky.

Eat A Bullet Cause The Hole Can't Be Filled!

The world is a vampire, sent to drain
Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames
And what do I get for all my pain?
Betrayed desires and a piece of the game
Even though I know I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold like old Job
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage!!!!!

Pick Up On My Mojo

This turned out to be a kicking and pitching fit type marathon, but once I bought the farm turning on the divide for the half and the full, Boodini was in for the full tilt, 5:56 later it was in the books. Now go claim the jacket in the distance challenge. I could claim the humidity and warm condition did more than soak my shit, but the bottom line is that you shouldn't play outside with nothing but your junk. It was a testament to perseverance and determination to count off the miles step by step, or better shuffle by shuffle. Oddly enough I didn't feel crushed by fellow runners I knew like J&J because they were not too far ahead of me at the finish. So just maybe it was a tough weather road day. I wonder how you might feel starting a noon race in August? It's now off to the ultra trail world with a few good ole spring and summer outings. Run for joy!

Through This Fist Style

It was windy as hell, but most of it was a sidewinder, while some was in your face and at your back. Never have run 3M with any training, and this was no different, 5 miles a week average is very pathetic for a half marathon. But somehow this race is a real kick in the pants. They call it the "Downhill to Downtown". Years ago I ran the thing in 1:41, this year 2:13, ouch I know! But if you keep doing the same thing over and over nothing is going to change. There is the One Pin in the Lane now to knock down in the challenge, Austin Marathon. Then you get the jacket. I've got 7 hours, 16 minute miles,  can I do it? Maybe. Got four weeks leading up to Feb. 19th, will I work it with that time or lay around with Boodini, probably the latter. LMAO! Thank you very much! Keep you posted. Now go run with Joy!

The Throne of Woes

Just into  2017 and all those resolutions have been placed neatly in the bucket list. Well if I could just find that list. Now it seems Boodini is sandwiched between a real fine raspberry, that should be chafing away. But outside of working, I do not have to be overwhelmed with this or that, and fret about it not happening. I am the master of wait and see. As I wait I see a garage littered with years of this experience, a door falling off it's hinges, disarray here and there. Yes, a master of the throne looking over one's domain completely out of control. No worries! Day's gone by with unanswered hopes and dreams, goals unfulfilled. Most die of a broken heart from shattered dreams or the bitch that left them, no not this pesky critter. If it was really important it would have become or been made into a reality, forces from the Incas, maybe Russia, or some such could have a hand in it? Humbug, probably the only word worth repeating over and over again, or praying constantly.  Research into accomplishing goals or doing at least something is relatively easy. We have the technology, certainly we don't lack a wealth of verbal or written self help dialogue. With this apparatus we can forge ahead now and even though we have not arrived, I am positive from our chair of iniquity we can find direction into this new year already passing. Out of the way, don't try to stop me now, get your own wag on! Boodini limps along!

The Post

Tuesday has arrived, and "Let's start where we left off". We've heard this all to often. But it is the best reference point to what we know has passed. We holidayed and had the happy times and the hope of promises to come. Celebrating the spirit of what we personally knew Christmas to be, and excited with what it could mean and be shared with each other. We are faced now with the afterburner, and wonder is it over already? Down with the lights, ornaments, trees, and out with the wrappings and refuse of the gifts, pondering the kind and generous words which we gave to one another. The great expectations are they really faced with even bigger disappointments? The unfinished work that still sits before us, the same old job, from shootings and everyone mad and hateful, do these things to come leave the grim perspective that the upside down world gets closer daily to our very front door? We check the list of the resolutions and goals, that we know in the past New Years we never kept anyway. Maybe this time around we don't even have a list, because we don't need the Humbug. Hope, from the point where we left off, the high and low points, all were accomplished by the faithfulness and constancy of the small doings. The starts and stops, the lukewarmness left from the zealous efforts, all fail us, and is that such an amazing fact? One small step for mankind forward, by each of us, we move forward and gain the ground of accomplishment we dream of, all be it slowly. Be anonymous. Lighten up, give yourself some room to smell the roses. At the end of the day, it is up to us to make our world right side up. Twenty five years from now we'll still not know the difference.
Drive the winter away with your warmth and good nature!

Decker Numero Three

Got the half done, now another half and then a full to go and my road career is on going. So I'll settle for the 50 degree and fog, overcast, drizzle any day. Days before we were at freezing. I didn't eject my happy ass into oxygen shortage, and held a slow easy drive, rather than crap out at the end. So between now and 3M and Austin Full it's time to get a few things together. That doesn't include not running until event day. It's true, you don't get different results doing what you've always done. Do I really care? Well between suffering through and a easy time of it, I'd pick something in between just to mix things up. There's a whole world out there, Run with Joy!