Time Keeps on Passing By

Time just keeps on passing by. What once you couldn’t wait for becomes a memory long past. When I was in the 6th grade, just days before graduation to junior high school, I remember saying out loud in my kitchen that I couldn’t wait for the last day of school to arrive. My mother replied that I am going to wish my whole life away, by wishing for days in the future to arrive quickly. When I retold that story to her many years later, I gave her a bit of a guilt trip. She could have had no idea at the time what a profound impact such a small comment could make on me.

I am looking very forward to the JFK 50. I think it will be a very profound and intense experience. Maybe that is why I like challenging endurance events. The harder and more difficult it is, the deeper and longer lasting the memory. If the moment that I am waiting for is going to pass me by quickly, I had better make sure it is memorable so that it stays with me throughout the rest of my years.

Is it better to do a few long and challenging events or to do many shorter events. I think the longer stuff has a greater impact and affect on you. There was a time I did many shorter races during the course of the year. While I remember doing that, I really couldn’t remember anything specific from most of them. The long stuff seems to stay with me. All the training leading up to it, all the difficulties juggling my schedule and all of the blood, sweat and tears leading up to the longer races has a much greater impact on me than going out on any particular weekend and doing a short race.

In exactly 3 days from now, I will be running in the JFK 50. I will be somewhere on the Appalachian trail, climbing over rocks and roots in an effort to complete 50 miles of running distance. I know that is what I will be doing. I will remember the anticipation leading up to it. I can’t make time stand still, but I can do my best to remember the most of it.