I've been thinking alot about my just finished double marathon and other opportunities presented by Iranmarathons.com.
See, I got involved in ultras at all because of the 3,100 mile Self Transcendence race put on by Sri Chinmoy in New York. What it amounts to for the runners is day after day of walk jog around and around a very small course. You get shin splints and blisters and cramps and various other problems, but you keep moving forward until you get to 3,100 miles.
I can't do that race, but I get the point of self transcendence. I do miles for transcendence. I keep walking for this purpose. And, back to Iranmarathons, these races are on small courses. And they are setup so someone can do many miles but there is no time limit. So people are walking and running. At the weekend I was at, there were 5 marathons in 3 days (3 during the day and 2 at night). That is 130 miles! One man jogged all his in less than 5 hours each. Another man jog walked with times between 7 and 8 hours. That is amazing to me; but seems much more do-able than 100 miles.
Tonight, I walked around the cement streets of El Lago. I can walk pretty fast if I want and that is so much easier on my feet. I keep wanting to now sign up for a weekend in June at an Iranmarathons event.
But first, I am signed up for a double marathon in Dallas in 2 weeks. And there is the matter of changes at my place of employment.
As I walked tonight, I loved the idea of loading my hydropak with water tomorrow and going for another long walk.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Double Marathon - Post-lude
This lady is 64 and she completed 100 miles at Iranmarathons May Flowers event:
She did it in 39 hours. Much of her walking was on her own. What mental fortitude that is.
For myself, no I have no intention of doing 100 miles all in one race. This is not my quest. I did find however that doing 2 marathons in 2 days did scrape the bottom of my barrel in some sense. I drank my dregs. I was empty. Its not the same sort of dregs that a 100 miler feels.
Here is my finisher picture:
She did it in 39 hours. Much of her walking was on her own. What mental fortitude that is.
For myself, no I have no intention of doing 100 miles all in one race. This is not my quest. I did find however that doing 2 marathons in 2 days did scrape the bottom of my barrel in some sense. I drank my dregs. I was empty. Its not the same sort of dregs that a 100 miler feels.
Here is my finisher picture:
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Goofy #8 2013
First off: a BIG thank you to United Airlines. I had a credit for a cancelled a trip, but the credit was so low, it was the same as the change fee. So, why use a ticket if the penalty is the same as the price of the ticket, especially if Southwest also flies to that place for less? So, I called United and the agent waived the fee. Good job United.
So, Friday and Saturday were actual marathon races in San Antonio. Last night I got a good 10 hour beauty sleep. Today, I decided to try a long walk and see how things were. Things were fine. I finished a 13.1 mile private half marathon. And thus, I have completed another 2013 private Goofy.
(Goofy is Disney's marathon+a half in January. A private Goofy is a solo marathon+ a half for the frugal at heart).
So, Friday and Saturday were actual marathon races in San Antonio. Last night I got a good 10 hour beauty sleep. Today, I decided to try a long walk and see how things were. Things were fine. I finished a 13.1 mile private half marathon. And thus, I have completed another 2013 private Goofy.
(Goofy is Disney's marathon+a half in January. A private Goofy is a solo marathon+ a half for the frugal at heart).
Saturday, May 4, 2013
May Flowers Success Day 2 Complete
Today was day 2 of my double marathon. It went fantastic; mainly because my heel was feeling very good. Which totally surprised me. Driving home, when I got out of the car at the rest area, it didn't feel too good. But now, the achilles and bursitis feels good, its other things that hurt.
Spiritual phrases for today came from A Course in Miracles chapter 6 and 7: All meaning comes from God and IS God. His light is what my mind is. Be vigilant only for God and for His Kingdom.
I swear, repeating these phrases had something to do with how little pain I was in.
I am happy about my weekend.
Today's run began at 4:45, in the dark by myself. I had planned to start at 5, an hour early; but no one else was there and I knew the RD wouldn't care, so off I went as soon as I got my gear together. There are lots of deer in San Antonio. My headlight kept showing me their eyes as they were not out of their little beds yet. I walked alot the first few miles. I was over dressed, and having a shoe failure (Mizunos). At 6 miles, I stopped at the car and took off layers of clothes and switched to the Nimbus dream liners. After my feet got used to the different feel, I started to naturally speed up. It was so great to be doing a few 12 minute miles on the second day of a double marathon.
I said hi to a number of people both ones I've met before and new ones.
But the race was uneventful. I kept up a great pace. I stopped at the car every lap to drop of shirts. And then, I was done.
Today's medal:
2 marathons in 2 days makes me this kind of Marathon Maniac:
I saw many of cactus that looked like this.
Spiritual phrases for today came from A Course in Miracles chapter 6 and 7: All meaning comes from God and IS God. His light is what my mind is. Be vigilant only for God and for His Kingdom.
I swear, repeating these phrases had something to do with how little pain I was in.
I am happy about my weekend.
Today's run began at 4:45, in the dark by myself. I had planned to start at 5, an hour early; but no one else was there and I knew the RD wouldn't care, so off I went as soon as I got my gear together. There are lots of deer in San Antonio. My headlight kept showing me their eyes as they were not out of their little beds yet. I walked alot the first few miles. I was over dressed, and having a shoe failure (Mizunos). At 6 miles, I stopped at the car and took off layers of clothes and switched to the Nimbus dream liners. After my feet got used to the different feel, I started to naturally speed up. It was so great to be doing a few 12 minute miles on the second day of a double marathon.
I said hi to a number of people both ones I've met before and new ones.
But the race was uneventful. I kept up a great pace. I stopped at the car every lap to drop of shirts. And then, I was done.
Today's medal:
2 marathons in 2 days makes me this kind of Marathon Maniac:
I saw many of cactus that looked like this.
Friday, May 3, 2013
May Flowers Day 1 Complete
What is it about marathons? I can't explain why, at 24 miles, by myself on a boring bike path in San Antonio, I felt tremendous joy. A Course in Miracles talks about listening to the song. Today, I heard the song.
Can't explain I think its love....
The Who sang it:
Got a feeling inside (Can't explain)
It's a certain kind (Can't explain)
I feel hot and cold (Can't explain)
Yeah, down in my soul, yeah (Can't explain)
Today began very early. I got to the race site at 5:20. Some people had started at 5 and others were planning to start at 6 so only Parvaneh the RD was there when I got there. Did I mention this was a very small race?
It was dark and very cold for Texas. Parvaneh didn't care exactly what time I started, so off I went as soon as I got my gear together. Head light on, I go out onto a concrete bike path. The course is back and forth on this bike path. I like it because I can't handle any trail type challenges with a bad knee. I like doing miles. My shoes felt fantastic.
As time and miles go by, I pass others in the race. We say hello and hi-five each other. It gets light. The day is cloudless but windy.
Miles go by. I wonder what I am doing out here. I'm not breaking any speed records. I think about the guy who has run 250+ marathons in his life and runs as many as he can drive to and still hold down a job. I am sort of a newby at this multi-day marathon game.
It is fascinating to think about why we are there. I don't think an ego can sustain this activity. I mean, its not like there is any fanfare related to this race.
Ont the short out and back I did at the end of the race, I met the girl I'd been just behind all day (as in, she'd be in the aid station as I was coming in, etc.). I cheered her, waving my hands wildly. Tomorrow when I run my second marathon, she'll be at an aid station. My heel did end up feel pretty bad as usual, but oh well.
This weekend is an interesting event. I'm running 2 day time marathons. But they are also putting on 2 night time marathons so a person could actually run 5 marathons in 3 days if they wanted to. Or, they could enter a 10k, half marathon, 50 miles, 100 miles or 48 hours. A lady I admire is running her first 100 miles. I admire her because she is also a metaphysician. I feel kin to her.
So, I've had my salad from Panera now it is time for a nap.
Tomorrow, I'll start my marathon at 5 am and then drive back to Houston.
Today's medal looked like this:
Can't explain I think its love....
The Who sang it:
Got a feeling inside (Can't explain)
It's a certain kind (Can't explain)
I feel hot and cold (Can't explain)
Yeah, down in my soul, yeah (Can't explain)
Today began very early. I got to the race site at 5:20. Some people had started at 5 and others were planning to start at 6 so only Parvaneh the RD was there when I got there. Did I mention this was a very small race?
It was dark and very cold for Texas. Parvaneh didn't care exactly what time I started, so off I went as soon as I got my gear together. Head light on, I go out onto a concrete bike path. The course is back and forth on this bike path. I like it because I can't handle any trail type challenges with a bad knee. I like doing miles. My shoes felt fantastic.
As time and miles go by, I pass others in the race. We say hello and hi-five each other. It gets light. The day is cloudless but windy.
Miles go by. I wonder what I am doing out here. I'm not breaking any speed records. I think about the guy who has run 250+ marathons in his life and runs as many as he can drive to and still hold down a job. I am sort of a newby at this multi-day marathon game.
It is fascinating to think about why we are there. I don't think an ego can sustain this activity. I mean, its not like there is any fanfare related to this race.
Ont the short out and back I did at the end of the race, I met the girl I'd been just behind all day (as in, she'd be in the aid station as I was coming in, etc.). I cheered her, waving my hands wildly. Tomorrow when I run my second marathon, she'll be at an aid station. My heel did end up feel pretty bad as usual, but oh well.
This weekend is an interesting event. I'm running 2 day time marathons. But they are also putting on 2 night time marathons so a person could actually run 5 marathons in 3 days if they wanted to. Or, they could enter a 10k, half marathon, 50 miles, 100 miles or 48 hours. A lady I admire is running her first 100 miles. I admire her because she is also a metaphysician. I feel kin to her.
So, I've had my salad from Panera now it is time for a nap.
Tomorrow, I'll start my marathon at 5 am and then drive back to Houston.
Today's medal looked like this:
Thursday, May 2, 2013
May Flowers - Smelling The Roses
For once, I am completely at ease; smelling the roses. I slept very well for 10 hours last night. This morning, I'm hanging around my house doing my spiritual studies; smelling the roses. In a little bit I'll jump in the car and drive to San Antonio for my double marathon.
I'm not working out today. I decided what to do about work: just put my name out there for the job transfers and see which one happens. So, in a sense, abundance is my lot. Three job possibilities in one place.
Now, I get to do the simplest thing in the world: walk marathons. I came to this conclusion through the pain in my left heel; and came to enjoy it. I like doing time and miles, but I don't "need" to do them very fast.
This slow way allows for smelling the roses but still getting to the finish line. It is the way of downward mobility. It is the ego-less way. Quietly, elegantly pursuing a dream of love not competition.
I am reading the end of chapter 6 in A Course in Miracles. This Course really saves my bacon on a daily basis. I get to return to the beginning each day. Start from scratch each day and your life really transforms. You get to pursue love instead to getting.
"9 Truth is without illusions and therefore within the Kingdom. Everything outside the Kingdom is illusion. When you threw truth away you saw yourself as if you were without it. By making another kingdom that you valued, you did not keep only the Kingdom of God in your mind, and thus placed part of your mind outside it. What you made has imprisoned your will, and given you a sick mind that must be healed. Your vigilance against this sickness is the way to heal it. Once your mind is healed it radiates health, and thereby teaches healing. This establishes you as a teacher who teaches like me. Vigilance was required of me as much as of you, and those who choose to teach the same thing must be in agreement about what they believe.
10 The third step, then, is a statement of what you want to believe, and entails a willingness to relinquish everything else. The Holy Spirit will enable you to take this step, if you follow Him. Your vigilance is the sign that you want Him to guide you. Vigilance does require effort, but only until you learn that effort itself is unnecessary. You have exerted great effort to preserve what you made because it was not true. Therefore, you must now turn your effort against it. Only this can cancel out the need for effort, and call upon the being which you both have and are. This recognition is wholly without effort since it is already true and needs no protection. It is in the perfect safety of God. Therefore, inclusion is total and creation is without limit."
The way that self transcendence runners get massive miles over a 6 or 10 day period is simple to keep walking. This is how I will be for the next 2 days; smelling the roses.
I'm not working out today. I decided what to do about work: just put my name out there for the job transfers and see which one happens. So, in a sense, abundance is my lot. Three job possibilities in one place.
Now, I get to do the simplest thing in the world: walk marathons. I came to this conclusion through the pain in my left heel; and came to enjoy it. I like doing time and miles, but I don't "need" to do them very fast.
This slow way allows for smelling the roses but still getting to the finish line. It is the way of downward mobility. It is the ego-less way. Quietly, elegantly pursuing a dream of love not competition.
I am reading the end of chapter 6 in A Course in Miracles. This Course really saves my bacon on a daily basis. I get to return to the beginning each day. Start from scratch each day and your life really transforms. You get to pursue love instead to getting.
"9 Truth is without illusions and therefore within the Kingdom. Everything outside the Kingdom is illusion. When you threw truth away you saw yourself as if you were without it. By making another kingdom that you valued, you did not keep only the Kingdom of God in your mind, and thus placed part of your mind outside it. What you made has imprisoned your will, and given you a sick mind that must be healed. Your vigilance against this sickness is the way to heal it. Once your mind is healed it radiates health, and thereby teaches healing. This establishes you as a teacher who teaches like me. Vigilance was required of me as much as of you, and those who choose to teach the same thing must be in agreement about what they believe.
10 The third step, then, is a statement of what you want to believe, and entails a willingness to relinquish everything else. The Holy Spirit will enable you to take this step, if you follow Him. Your vigilance is the sign that you want Him to guide you. Vigilance does require effort, but only until you learn that effort itself is unnecessary. You have exerted great effort to preserve what you made because it was not true. Therefore, you must now turn your effort against it. Only this can cancel out the need for effort, and call upon the being which you both have and are. This recognition is wholly without effort since it is already true and needs no protection. It is in the perfect safety of God. Therefore, inclusion is total and creation is without limit."
The way that self transcendence runners get massive miles over a 6 or 10 day period is simple to keep walking. This is how I will be for the next 2 days; smelling the roses.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May Flowers - Miracle Blooming
I took this shirt out of the laundry this evening. I remembered when I got it and thought it would be perfect to wear in the car tomorrow:
I got the shirt in a half marathon last July in Copper Mountain, Colorado. I remember being at 10,000 feet on the Vail bike path where the race turned around. My left foot was in unexpectedly horrible shape. I had seen many people passing me on the way up wearing this shirt and suddenly realized it was the one we got for the race and I owned one. As I turned around to head down, I had a great view, my foot was killing me, I couldn't breathe, I felt totally like a decrepit old lady. But an old lady who had just run 10 miles and had 3 more to go.
I started crying. Gone were the days when I would win this race. But I was there at the top of the mountain, no matter how long it took me to get there.
I would and did finish.
Today, taking that shirt out of the dryer, it felt totally right.
I've been awake since one in the morning thinking about a totally insane political battle at work which involves a fight over process safety engineers (of which I am one). But the two sides are so stubborn, it is leaving 3 of us fighting to get jobs. Um, like, the talent the bosses are fighting over is left with some sort of shaft. Unbelievable.
And my body is not totally well, but I'm going to San Antonio to run 2 marathons this weekend.
I don't care how long it takes me to finish, the miracle is that I will start; and I will finish. Hoping the pain takes my mind off my work.
And stupid boss who said he is proud of me. And other stupid boss who said I was first choice.
Well, this situation won't be resolved for weeks.
I got the shirt in a half marathon last July in Copper Mountain, Colorado. I remember being at 10,000 feet on the Vail bike path where the race turned around. My left foot was in unexpectedly horrible shape. I had seen many people passing me on the way up wearing this shirt and suddenly realized it was the one we got for the race and I owned one. As I turned around to head down, I had a great view, my foot was killing me, I couldn't breathe, I felt totally like a decrepit old lady. But an old lady who had just run 10 miles and had 3 more to go.
I started crying. Gone were the days when I would win this race. But I was there at the top of the mountain, no matter how long it took me to get there.
I would and did finish.
Today, taking that shirt out of the dryer, it felt totally right.
I've been awake since one in the morning thinking about a totally insane political battle at work which involves a fight over process safety engineers (of which I am one). But the two sides are so stubborn, it is leaving 3 of us fighting to get jobs. Um, like, the talent the bosses are fighting over is left with some sort of shaft. Unbelievable.
And my body is not totally well, but I'm going to San Antonio to run 2 marathons this weekend.
I don't care how long it takes me to finish, the miracle is that I will start; and I will finish. Hoping the pain takes my mind off my work.
And stupid boss who said he is proud of me. And other stupid boss who said I was first choice.
Well, this situation won't be resolved for weeks.
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