I used to race regularly - had a yearly racing calendar of three or four, sometimes more, events per month for seven or so months - but not for several years, my last good year being in 2006, the year I turned 50. My favorite events were 15-21K road races, but I ran a whole gamut, including 5K's of course.
For this event, I am making a contribution to Catholic Workers, a group of highly committed wonderful people doing righteous work important - essential - on several levels. And I am doing daily runs, committed as I am (to maybe lesser degree than Catholic Workers) to doing some "serious" racing in the near future. Why again, after all this time? I left the fold as the result of physical degeneration, emanating from my compromised let alone aging bowels. I think my status, my situation has changed - greatly, fantastically, if not still tentatively, maybe. I am feeling my body returning nearer to how it had previously responded to athletic efforts, which was for the period of my life, in my 40's, so rewarding and central to what I chose to to do/be.
So, why not again?
Such transition in my health status first became more lasting and apparent starting about two weeks ago, in terms of my strength, stamina, and fast recovery. I have been "into it" 4-6 days per week without injury or, more likely, increasing fatigued. Au contraire! Like being reborn, so my association with this - Peter Demott Peace Trot is not only appropriate, but right, right on, as I share deeply its - Pete and Catholic Workers - values in peace and love.
Running is so much an exercise that delves into, that emphasizes this way of being. Routine and repetitive, endeavoring to be better (simple living, acknowledging and accepting shared as opposed to competitive satisfaction , being healthier, focused), moving through ever changing environments/situations and demands, routes, phases of training, weather... Thus, being adaptable and adaptive.
I've been running mostly in the early morning, and for the first two days, since our virtual race began, I've run for about two hours each (by coincidence) having just decided after my very hard run two days previous to Friday's (a day of rest! in between) that I would enter a short period, about two weeks, of low intensity, aerobic base building. Friday's run was around Cass Pk/Marina and along the inlet going south from Ithaca; Saturday (yesterday) I ran south from the city on a somewhat slopier out-and-back course with a turn-around incorporating Shelter Valley Rd.
For this event, I am making a contribution to Catholic Workers, a group of highly committed wonderful people doing righteous work important - essential - on several levels. And I am doing daily runs, committed as I am (to maybe lesser degree than Catholic Workers) to doing some "serious" racing in the near future. Why again, after all this time? I left the fold as the result of physical degeneration, emanating from my compromised let alone aging bowels. I think my status, my situation has changed - greatly, fantastically, if not still tentatively, maybe. I am feeling my body returning nearer to how it had previously responded to athletic efforts, which was for the period of my life, in my 40's, so rewarding and central to what I chose to to do/be.
So, why not again?
Such transition in my health status first became more lasting and apparent starting about two weeks ago, in terms of my strength, stamina, and fast recovery. I have been "into it" 4-6 days per week without injury or, more likely, increasing fatigued. Au contraire! Like being reborn, so my association with this - Peter Demott Peace Trot is not only appropriate, but right, right on, as I share deeply its - Pete and Catholic Workers - values in peace and love.
Running is so much an exercise that delves into, that emphasizes this way of being. Routine and repetitive, endeavoring to be better (simple living, acknowledging and accepting shared as opposed to competitive satisfaction , being healthier, focused), moving through ever changing environments/situations and demands, routes, phases of training, weather... Thus, being adaptable and adaptive.
I've been running mostly in the early morning, and for the first two days, since our virtual race began, I've run for about two hours each (by coincidence) having just decided after my very hard run two days previous to Friday's (a day of rest! in between) that I would enter a short period, about two weeks, of low intensity, aerobic base building. Friday's run was around Cass Pk/Marina and along the inlet going south from Ithaca; Saturday (yesterday) I ran south from the city on a somewhat slopier out-and-back course with a turn-around incorporating Shelter Valley Rd.