Deb Leads

Another great run this morning (must be the company).  Scott, Ted, John, Rod, Mike, David and Deb.  Thank you Deb for taking lead and setting pace.  We ran to the Fort Whye Centre through the forest, return, clocking in at precisely 10 miles with a comfortable 9:54 pace.  With lots of laughs and Ted singing Johnny Cash tunes, it was a blissful little jaunt through the forest.

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm compiling my top ten reasons for running, one per week for ten weeks... boring, yes, but it gives me something to think about on those long solo runs.  Reason number three has to do with the people with whom I choose to spend my recreation time, that'd be my running and cycling buddies.  Several years ago I was on my third Habitat For Humanity Cycle of Hope.  The Cycle of Hope rides are two week, thousand mile bike rides through the back roads of USA.  Living in tight quarters (i.e. sleeping in church basements, school gymnasiums, once even in a brand new hospital not yet open to the public -they put us on the psyche ward... I kid you not!) you tend to get to know each other very well.  At the start of the Denver ride we took turns introducing ourselves to the group of 50 riders and 12 support staff.  I remember one rider standing up and saying something to the effect of "I'm here because I can't imagine anything finer than to hang out with a group of winners for two weeks."  Some of us heard "whiners" which isn't too far from the truth, so good laughs were had by all.  The point is, at least to a certain extent, we are defined by the people with whom we associate.  We can hang with winners, hang with people who exude positive energy and supportive energy or not.  By in large, it's choice.  I can honestly say I've never met a runner  I haven't liked; regardless of their size, shape, or speed, they are good people with goals, dreams, and aspirations... winners.  Runners are focussed, driven, and measure achievement not by the number of finish lines they cross, but in the journey. I like to run because it provides me the opportunity to hang out with winners, plain and simple.

The picture above shows myself and Diane at the completion of our first "Century Day" (100 miles in one day)... I never thought I could do it, but since this initial achievement, I have accomplished several Century Days.... it's the cycling equivalent to a marathon and could not have been achieved without the help of the winners with whom I ride. 

Ted's Word of the Day: Viscous: adjective; having thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid; having a high viscosity; e.g. Scott's breakfast had a viscous appeal.  ;>)  M