B'Day + some random thoughts

Well, it happened yet again, another year has passed and I am older once again, never thought much about it before thirty, never bothered me before forty, and even before fifty it didn't seem so bad but after 50, no doubt about it, beyond 50 is getting old Although one advantage to getting older is that I actually am starting to have more time for runs. Now I need to get out and do them but the time is there more than at any other time since I started running.

About the Birthday, Karyn and my gals surprised me with some really neat gifts. One I have already tried out, a Nathan HPL-020 hydration vest (thanks Londell for suggesting it and Karyn for remembering that I mentioned it). It worked great and was a nice improvement over my Camelbak, I love the front packs and it was quite a bit more comfortable. I can now look forward to many long runs this fall and winter. They also got me a pair of Running Funky Gaitors, so I can now run trails debris free, sweet. The final gift is a special one, tickets to see Martina McBride at Treasure Island. I love Martina, she has one of the most pure voices I have ever listened to. My wife and I saw her after the Country Music Marathon in 2002. If you run the CMM you receive a ticket to a concert afterwards (one of the nicest perks we have received in a marathon entry fee). I still remember how she brought an auditorium full of marathon runners (many who struggled to walk in, climb the steps or even to just get up quickly, yes I was one of them) to their feet especially when she sang "Somewhere over the Rainbow". Wow, that girl can sing.

Which leads me to clarify one last thing, I occasionally have commented about people, about how I don't particularly like people, actually it's being around people, well that is true at least some of the time but it isn't true all of the time.

I love to talk to runners, I love to talk Chicago Bears football (yes, even after two consecutive losses), I love to talk soccer, I enjoy talking politics and many other things. But there are at least two times when I not overly fond of folks, one of them applies to my running and the other crowds. Crowds I don't enjoy ever, I am not comfortable in crowds, going to Disney or anything like it (MN state fair, etc...) could be fun, dealing with the crowds is not. Put me in a crowd of people and I normally am not too comfortable and as my wife can probably attest, I tend to get a little cranky. As to running, I have found through the years that when I run a race like TCM that has a lot of spectators, I get drained as the day goes on. All of those people along the course added with all of those runners and then occasionally trying to converse with them just takes too much energy. I have found that talking while running can be a nice distraction at times but for me more often than not it just takes more mental energy than I have.

So just so you understand small groups of friendly folks are ok, trail runs and runners are great, but if I don't talk too much or move ahead of you quickly (it might happen once) or fall behind during a run (much more likely to happen), don't take it personal, I am just trying to conserve energy by finding a nice quiet tranquil place to go to or I am just slow and can't keep up :-).

On that note, the other day as I was running I decided to switch from my podcasts to music and "Green Grass and High Tides Forever" came on (by The Outlaws from their debut album in 1975), that is still a song that gets me going and yet moves me into that tranquil place. For those that don't know this song, go and listen to it, for others revisit the lyrics.

In a place you only dream of
Where your soul is always free
Silver stages, golden curtains
Filled my head, plain as can be
As a rainbow grew round the sun
All the stars I've love who died
Came from somewhere beyond the scene you see
These lovely people played just for me

Now if I let you see this place
Where stories all ring true
Will you let me past your face
To see what's really you
It's not for me to ask these questions
As though I were a king

For you have to love, believe and feel
Before the burst of tamborines take you there

Green grass and high tides forever
Castles of stone souls and glory
Lost faces say we adore you
As kings and queens bow and play for you

Those who don't believe me
Find your souls and set them free
Those who do, believe and love
As time will be your key
Time and time again I've thanked them
For the peace of mind
They helped me find myself
Amongst the music and the rhyme
That enchants you there

Green grass and high tides forever
Castles of stone souls and glory
Lost faces say we adore you
As kings and queens bow and play for you

Yeah, they play just for you

This is a song that I think of occasionally when I am running, not sure why or what it might mean but I love remembering it, remembering the Outlaws, remembering my past, probably just another side effect of getting older...........