Monday, February 6, 2012

The Great Train Wreck of 2011


Let me preface this post with the disclaimer that I consider myself to be a runner.  I realize that's a very broad term which encompasses everything from, "I run occasionally", to "I just qualified for the Boston Marathon".
I'm somewhere in between those two extremes.

I say this because I don't want to give the impression that I'm one of those "running deities" who can run 50+ mile trail races or sub-8-minute-pace marathons. I know people who can do those things, and they definitely inspire me to see how much more I can do.  But I'm not one of them.  Perhaps one day.
That said, I do run.  Quite a bit, to be honest.  Of course, that is subjective as well.  Compared to some of my running friends, not so much perhaps.  But I think it's safe to say that, in general, I run a lot.

I have attempted to run 1 marathon (last year).  I say attempted because, even though I did complete it, and was not carried across the finish line by ambulance or piggyback, it was pretty bad.  Train Wreck is the term I tend to use.  As in, "I would have preferred to be involved in a train wreck".  Also, I didn't actually run it.  There was a fair amount of walking, staggering, and whimpering involved as well.

Hmmm... Originally, this post was supposed to be about trail running.  But, perhaps it would be best to get some perspective on why I would be out running through muddy, hilly, and wild-animal-infested woods (for hours), first.  So... more on the trail running later.