I'm Done

I'm done with this race. Yesterday, Sharon called me just before 11am. She was crying. I was approaching 24 miles for the morning. Our old gerbil, Chester, was apparently in poor health and headed to the vet for a special 11:30am emergency appointment. I finished my loop (25 miles) and headed home. I met Sharon at an intersection as she was leaving for the vet with Chester. I yelled from one car to the other "Hope you feel better Chester!" I showered and started to eat lunch. Sharon called before noon with the news that Chester had passed away. Oreo, his brother, was diagnosed with a large tumor and lung problems--he is essentially in "hospice care" for a week or so. Then he'll be gone too. A lot can happen in a day. I'd rather not miss life as I run.

Chester, and his brother Oreo, were getting pretty old. We got them from someone that didn't want them anymore (who just decides to give up a pet?) and turned them over to the Humane Society just before Christmas in 2007. The two of them were rather rambunctious and silly characters. Chester is now gone and Oreo will join him soon. In addition to these guys, we have another gerbil (Wigan) that is depressed about his brother Barnsley passing away. Then there is Derby who has a broken leg (just had surgery on it) and his brother Bolton who seems to be losing weight and is distressed about his brother. Finally, we have the reclusive hamster named Simon that has neurological problems (we got him from the local Humane Society and they said he "might outgrow it"--he hasn't). All these "boys" keep us busy. The lone girl in the house, Chelsea, passed away recently. She was a good gerbil. It's been a tough few weeks for the fuzzy rodents of our household.

It's time to pay more attention to family than running. I'll be happier if I spend more time with the "wife and kids." A balance between running and life will be better for them too. I love to run, so I will. But I'll keep it in perspective. I've missed too many things because I was out doing some silly run: the 7-day race, moon runs, Badwater, McNaughton, Hood-to-Coast...the list goes on and on and on. They were all interesting and worthwhile endeavors, but they interfered with family and life. I get plenty of positive experiences from running...I just need to temper the running so I can get all the other positives from life. You hear the phrase "Work to live, not live to work" and the complement for running is "Run to live, not live to run." Running, in moderation, makes me a happier and better person. In excess, it becomes a negative factor in my life.

I begin my new running life today with 5 miles at the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Not 45 or 50 or 55, just the minimum 5 miles on the trails. Maybe I'll head to the gym with Sharon later in the morning. Then it'll be time to "dose the gerbs" (two are on antibiotics and pain killers). Maybe a little reading, watch the Champion's League final, and help the wife in the garden. I might even mow the lawn. Nap in the afternoon. The simple pleasures of life.

I'll still have a couple crazy running adventures every year, but I'm going to try and stay closer to home and do shorter races. In place of this 7-day stage race next year, maybe I'll do a 24-hour run at the trails. Instead of Dances with Dirt "Devils Lake" 50K in July, I'll do the Fisher Fair 5K. You get the idea...run, but keep it simple. I appreciate all the runners that did the 7-day race last year and this year. Hope you have a good week. I'll be out there each morning at 5am for the rest of the week. Don't push too hard and try to enjoy the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve. Lots of cool plants and animals out there--on the first day of running I saw 2 snakes, 3 toads, a vulture, and a turkey! Of course, I also saw the usual suspects: squirrels, deer, geese, blue jays, swifts, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, robins, blue birds, crows, chickadees...and several other birds I couldn't identify. Slow down and experience nature.

Enjoy your running. Mix it up. Keep it in perspective. Don't get injured. Words to live by, eh?