I lined up at the start line of the 1983 Pasadena Fun Run, viewed the athletes and my heart sank. Here were these glorious looking runners, all sinew and legs and lungs. I knew not a single one of them but feared, and at that moment disliked, them all. I had been running for 3 years, often in soccer shoes and swimming trunks, and there I was feeling very deep in over my head. The gun went off for the 10K “Fun Run” and I was shocked to see that all these fine specimens were in my rear view mirror. I went on to finish 4th overall and raced with fear and loathing and success for the next 15 years. When I turned 40 in 1997 I “retired” from competitive running for the next decade, only resuming after being in Omaha for a few years. The reason I left competition? It made me literally sick to my stomach. The anxiety and pressures of self expectations coupled with a naturally aging, slowing body made racing no longer fun for me. So I bagged it for a decade. When I speak of Mental Weakness it is from personal experience and I can spot it in a moment in other’s eyes. It doesn’t go over so very well if I point it out.
Tuesday’s column has generated a tremendous amount of email and discussion on “FUN NO FUN”. And that is cool no matter what your opinion is. Those that had enough depth to understand what I was saying got it Perfectly. Those less centered simply didn’t fathom the message. My old buddy Mayor Bob questioned “Why the hell would you run if it wasn’t fun?” He and just a couple others missed the point completely. Running has been my life saver and preserver, my ticket to world travels, lifelong friendships, and my own personal expression of Freedom. It makes up more of my being than any other person you’ll ever meet (oh the Hubris!). I’ve transcended “fun” and my deep spiritual relationship with running is what resides within. Fun is for when the running stops. As cited in yesterday’s mailbag, fun is for things you don’t take too seriously. I take running very seriously. Bob and his cronies will insist that I’m missing out on some essence of running, not so, been there, done that.
Pulled out my copy of “The Runner’s Coach” by Roy Benson, Cedarwinds Publishing, 1994. A quick and easy read containing a wealth of information on effort based training. Always good to refresh at the foot of the masters.
Greg McMillan is offering a running camp for high schoolers at his compound in Flagstaff. http://mcmillanelite.com/highschoolcamp/home.html
Pete & Zika Rea have the finest training facility east of the Mississippi. They are offering adult running camps at their Blowing Rock, NC enclave. http://www.zapfitness.com/page/zap-fitness-adult-running-camps
I’ve know Zika for a very long time and look forward to telling you about her in the future.
Murray Halberg was New Zealand’s first sub 4:00 miler, World Record holder for 3 Miles (13:10), and 1960 Olympic 5000 Champion, one of “Arthur’s Boys”. Halberg had a withered left arm from polio as a child, a true inspiration in the late 1950s and early 60s. His book “A Clean Pair of Heels” is a treasure in my collection.
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