But first, Living and Happy in the present.
My dear sweet departed mother used to threaten/pray “I hope you have one just like you!” Well I had three and all possess traits, both good and bad, that remind me of when I was a wee guru. I’m not making any threats or wishes on their progeny, in fact will consider myself quite lucky, after what they endured, if any of the trio choose to procreate. Rather I’ll celebrate if they arrive at Peace Within, understanding what a difficult journey that is, making it all the better. Because Life is full of sweetness and sorrow, the beautiful and bizarre.
Would you really want it any other way? I’ve passed on mundane and mediocre, took the soaring highs and searing lows, been dealt love and stunning blows. That my friends is Real Living. If you’ve couched your lives in comfort, tsk, tsk, tsk. Get out and live a little! As my boy Frankie Beverly sang “Joy, and Pain, are like Sunshine, and Rain.”
Big tip of the sombrero to my dear friend and original coaching mentor, Jim McLatchie. He originally shaped my style and philosophy, my way or the highway. You don’t argue with success at that level. Here’s a link detailing his work with Matthew Maton, whom he has coached to a 4:03 prep mile in Bend, OR. http://www.runnersworld.com/high-school-profiles/matthew-maton-learns-how-to-close-hard#.U7RJ7zGMZ0U.email
I’m doing my best McLatchie impression with my two young charges heading to the AAU Junior Olympics later this month. Obviously very talented. What is it that I can do to take them to the Next Level? Just you wait and see.
Linda is entered into this weekend’s Lincoln Mile. At age 51 she is trying to recapture her latent speed that was so grotesquely interrupted by her shattered foot of 18 months ago. Don’t forget that she earned a couple of USATF Masters National Indoor Championship medals in Albuquerque a couple of years ago.
Yours truly with old buddy and masters stud Joe Melanson. He ran 2:38:54 at age 44, 12 years ago. He can still crank out a sub 3. Pictured here at the 2000 Twin Cities Marathon with our Beaumont, TX (via Scotland) native Jim McLatchie. Jim and I are alumni of the Lamar University Cardinals in Beaumont, aka Pecker Tech.
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