This was my mother’s dictum. My boyhood home was less than 1000 square feet for the 5 of us. The close quarters led to a lot of friction and the Maternal Command to “Go outside and play!” was never a gentle encouragement towards a healthy lifestyle. Rather a red flare that we’d better skeedaddle or get our hides tanned. To think that my generation were taught to obey quickly and without question or reply, oh the horrors of discipline! But obey we did and the result for me has been a lifelong love of the outdoors. It has always been my escape, my sanctum, my adventure.
I still go outside and play every day. With my running, gardening, long walks, meditation, and privacy. No one tells me to do it anymore. My old buddy Willie Nelson said it best and I’ve quoted it before:
” Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies,
Don’t fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don’t fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin’ breeze
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don’t fence me in”
No fences as a child and no fences now. That is a big reason that I do what I do. Exactly what I want. And that is to be outside “playing” as much as I can. I sure respect and appreciate everyone that punches in, sits in a cubicle (pass the noose please), watches the clock, answers to the man, and does their duty as a good tax paying American. But that ain’t me and it never will be.
Those that know me best know my origins. They know how close I came to living under a bridge at one point in my life. And that I’m never far off from that concrete pillow even today. I’ll take that over having anyone suppose to decide what is best for me. Don’t fence me in. People either respect the hell out of my view on life or think I’m downright crazy. I’m cool with either, Willie and I share that.
Matthew Schneider doesn’t like fences either and is a better citizen than I am. He is young and strong and willful but also has a Higher Power that helps guide him and I dig that. Matt will be running the Steeplechase and the 5000 meters in NYC this weekend. He won the National Championship in the Steeple the last 2 years and is The Man to beat this year. While it would be easy to moan about “fences” and just as easy to cry about “obligations”, Matt takes the helm- again with the comfort and steadying hand of his Saviour. To wit: Matt just completed working three consecutive 16.5 hour shifts so that he could travel to NYC to compete. And still got some quality running in. On the inside he is as much an outdoors man as I am.
TNB Road Race Mgmt. meeting tonight at the Upstream. Top of the agenda is planning our 7th annual TNB Summer Party!
Aaron Carrizales won the Ft. Robinson 5K on Monday in 15:25, good to see his injury problems in the rear view mirror.
Tonight’s Wednesday night Track Workout:
1-1.5 mile warm up & warm down
1200 @ 5K race pace, 3:00 easy jog
800 @ 5K race pace, 2:00 easy jog
400 @ 5K race pace, 1:00 easy jog
200 @ Giddyup!
Willie Nelson is one of the founders of Outlaw Country music. He does things his way and so do I.
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