When I
first blogged about "embracing the suck" I had images of sweat, road dirt, nausea, yucky gels and all the other fun stuff we endure on the marathon path. Turns out embracing the suck is a tricky little devil and has multiple meanings. Who would have figured that it can also mean eating chocolate on my deck while watching the river flow, with a warm sun and cooling breeze? Weird that!
The verdict is a grade 2 strain (there's 3, I asked) on my left ankle. Cast and sticks for two weeks. Fargo Marathon is definitely out and Manitoba Marathon is a long shot. The Spruce Woods 50 k in August is looking mighty sweet though.
Nuff of "woe is me". As my good running pal Jan says, it's like a bad country and western tune, best sung drunk, loud, and off key. It's fun for a while but then you wake up with a hangover.
Moving forward.
Not trying to get all spiritual on you but I did receive this quote in a tweet that sorta left me speechless. The timing is all too amazing.
God (my editorial input: Buddha, Allah, Yahweh, Great Spirit, Creator) grant me the serenity to accept when I cannot run, the courage to run when I can, and the wisdom to understand the difference.
Wow! Puts my little mishap in perspective. "The wisdom to understand the difference". Now
that's pure poetry.
To my Fargo Homeies, it has been such an honour and pleasure to run by your side. We ran through some of the toughest elements and yet we did so with grace and fortitude. Running with you through such conditions strengthened my character and brought me such indescribable pleasure. So often I would groan at the thought of another late evening run, desperately wanting to bail. And then, 5 minutes into the run, my life brightened, the chit chat and the laughs abounded. I became drunk in the happiness of just being. Just running along your side. Thank you.
Thank you for your company.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for the gossip.
Thank your for the many, many, many laughs.
Thank you for the positive comments.
Thank you for your leadership.
Thank you for lifting my spirits.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for laughing.
Thank you for trusting me to lead.
Thank you for telling me when to follow.
Thank you for your comments on SMR.
Thank you for the emails (so many today).
Thank you for running at 6 AM through dark streets.
Thank you for your respect.
Thank you for the talks about life, God, and politics.
Thank you for the talks about Homer Simpson, American Idle, and teenaged heart-throbs.
Thank you for making snow angels.
Thank you.
In gratitude I give you my mantra. At mile 18, or 20, or 22, or whenever you need it most. When your shoulders are slouched, when you feel like puking, when your legs are lead, when your brain fogs, when you lose sight of the finish line, when your spirits flickers say aloud "embrace the suck". Say it again and again. Louder. Say it to the poor slob running next to you who's dying. Yell it at the sun. Whisper it to your calves. Rap it. Rock it. Twang it. Use the suck to your advantage. Learn to laugh at the suck. Use the suck to dance across the line. Dance across the line.
Dance one for me. Make it a slow dance.
Now friends, run like the wind, while you can.
It IS a good day to be alive.
Mike
