Rock Bridge Revenge - 25k

Today I had the most fun I've had running a race since I can remember. I had an extremely happy time. I leaped and sprinted and all around felt like a gazelle, on a trail no less.

Why?

I was properly trained. that is, after the Fallsburg trail marathon in August, I vowed to run trails. I simply had to develope some quad strength. So, since then, I found a short trail near my house. Once a week, I go over there and run back and forth for a couple of hours. OMG, that seems to have done wonders. I can now leap over logs. I can now scramble well enough to keep myself from falling if I trip. Even after 3 hours of trails, my legs feel really really good.

The training was one reason. The other was that I was only doing 25k, so I allowed myself to run as fast as I could. If I had been doing 50k, I would have had to slow down, conserve energy and basically enter a totally different type of running, which I now recognize is not that fun. Hopping and jumping and zipping along was really a blast. Worrying about fuel and time and blisters and a long drive home and work tomorrow would not have been fun.

This is the first time I can remember ever finishing a race and being totally energized and happy.

• I got a hotel room in Columbia - successful because I could find the starting line the day before as well as sleep much later on race day (I still got up at 5 as it was).
• For breakfast, I ate a Myoplex protein bar and a power bar, with coffee and Emergen-C and vitamins, including spirulina - successful because I felt so full of energy during the race, even wondering if I needed any gels.
• This was my first race in trail shoes - success. Trails are much easier with those shoes than my road shoes.
• I didn't run any further than what I was trained for. Therefore, I could throw my heart and soul into to performance and not hold back.

What did I think about? God. I was not repeating a phrase like I usually do. I pondered the questions: why do I think I need to defend my practice of sitting quietly and turning my mind inward to the light? Well, apostolic Christians keep pushing my buttons in that area; like what good is it to be alone attending God? Really?

As I was running by myself along the trail, I felt like I was giving to the universal energy pattern. My act of running for all I was worth was a gift to Something. Then, I realized that sitting and attending is the same thing: a gift. That I can't explain the gift to someone who doesn't give that gift does cause me to scratch my head. I've encountered Christians who actually think the meditative practices are evil. Yes, its true that solitaries are viewed suspiciously by many; and believed to be psychologically abnormal. But, I know I am giving. I do not need another physical body in order to give my gift. That is a breakthru in believing for me.

Clearly, I have chosen the contemplative path. Clearly, I am present to the divine Mind as He is to me. And, boy did I have fun today!