Retrospective

Today I have alot to say. 

As your life passes you get a chance to experience successes and failures and I have a lot of each.  The failures and bad times can dominate your life if you desire.   I have worked hard at making the good times and successes take the forefront in my life--I think it is the better way. 

I still race for a lot personal reasons--it is great exercise, I love all forms of racing at the elite level, I am competitive, to need to challenge myself, it makes my wife quite proud and I have always had a burning to prove something.  That "something" is always changing, but how do I stack up against the big boys that are getting their name in the paper??? 


I have competed in a lot of  different arenas and getting to the top in each has always been that 'something'. I have rarely been in with the competition that is a push over, getting beat would happen if you cannot produce at your best.  I have always been happiest in the big pond.  

• My high school cross country team went to the state championship in Ohio.  We got last, but I gave it all I had.  No excuses, we got whipped. We beat a lot of people to get there.
• My high school basketball team won the state championship--that is a life event.
• I ran in the state track meet and medaled in the long jump and mile relay--school records for both events.  That was when Ohio State still had a track in the football stadium.
• I raced in the National Hare Scramble series on ATVs and actually came in second in one event. I am really proud of that trophy.   I was 29 at the time and giving away a lot of years, but I could still compete. Those were two hour long races.
• I was a member of a 'tug of war' team that was undefeated for two seasons.    When we started, we got beat on a regular basis.  Hard work , desire, and finding out how to win by failure and smart coaching really paid off here.  Talk about adrenalin! 
• I have won several Sr. Olympics State Championships in Tennessee and Kentucky.    I have also gotten beaten in many races and have yet to win a 100 meters event!!!!!!!!!!   Yes, I am competitive and still a gracious loser.  Not a good loser.
• I still proudly hold the 50 meters record in Tennessee in the 55 to 59 age group.
• National meet?????  Can I medal or seriously compete at this level?  Can I earn the other competitors respect?  Do I belong??   This all belongs in the 'something' that is always changing.  Right now the 'something' is burning pretty hard.

So, what does the future of my athletics hold ?   I was really ready to quit 6 weeks ago. I had seriously considered getting out of the running thing.   I hurt my leg and was really pissed that I could be throwing away four years of training because of an injury.  It hurt a lot, I was mad and scared at the same time.  The negative was creeping in and I really had to fight really hard the urge to give up, quit, surrender, be beaten and remain true to my core of staying positive.    The Nationals have been my goal for the last four years and I was going to miss them for the second time because of injuries. Man that would really suck again.
 I have since healed up as much as a 56 year old man can and feel ready to compete on the big stage--finally.  I hope to run well, do my best and make Linda and those who know me proud.   Stay positive--look ahead...........