Occasional feature in the OWH called “My Five”. It has a community member list their 5 favorite things. A good exercise in finding out what is really most important to you, I’ve been giving it some thought this morning. A couple of things jump right onto my list but it is difficult to pare it down from a lifetime of living. But something like this:
1) A picture of me and the three kids, circa 1993, sitting in our backyard in Cypress, Texas, all sitting in the classic meditation pose, meditating for rain. I was teaching them the power of meditation/prayer, it hadn’t rained for almost a month and we went out to “sit” for rain. After just a few minutes it started sprinkling and then turned into a full rain, the picture captures the moment the drops started falling.
2) A pair of hand crafted knives made by my dad. They are made from steel, one has a deer antler handle, the other handle alternates between mesquite root and bone. Both bear the “Bar None, – 0,” symbol that used to grace the entrance to his ranch.
3) The portrait of me running the 1995 Houston Marathon. Gulf Coast artist Joanie Covell was commissioned to create this full size portrait of me as a surprise gift for my work on the inaugural Run For The Arts 10 Mile. It captures me running at the fittest point in my life, I turned in a 2:46:56 that morning. My children and grandchildren will see me as I would have them remember me.
4) Maine Running Camp tank top. I attended the camp put on by Andy Palmer and John L. Parker Jr. (Once A Runner) in 1996. The front has the name/logo of the camp, the back says simply “Hubris”. Andy would become the only Real coach I’ve ever had. We shared our birth date (Nov. 28) and also our commitment to developing American athletes. Andy would sadly die while running just days prior to his ZAP Fitness facility was to open in Blowing Rock, NC. John continues to be a sought after spokesman and elder statesman for running in the US. The word hubris on the back of the tank sums me up better than any other single word I could come up with.
5) “History of All Nations” by S.G. Goodrich, published in 1850. With 1207 pages of text and illustrations, it provides the combined body of knowledge from “Creation through the Present”. Eloquent writing, outstanding artwork, intriguing maps, lost civilizations, unheard tales, and analysis of every living people- their habits, customs, and social mores. Those that don’t learn from the past are destined to repeat it.
OK, so this list might change but for right now I could head out into the wild with just these five things. Well, as long as I also had some reading glasses, French Press coffee maker, cell phone, internet, Vibram Five Fingers, TNB Hoodie, warm socks, Oban Scotch, and a truck load of cash. That’s all I would need.
Congratulations to a couple of our Wednesday Night Omaha Endurance Group mates that ran Very Well in Chicago: Brian Kelly (50+) ran a lifetime pr of 3:01:12 and Angie Hodge pr’d in 3:49:55. Great job to you both!
Tomorrow night we will be meeting at 6:00 sharp at the boat ramps at Zorinsky (156th & F) to run the original Swamp Stomp 5K course. This was the first race I directed in Omaha and I still have a fondness for the course, you will too!
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