Perhaps the genius of ultrarunning is its supreme lack of utility. It makes no sense in a world of space ships and supercomputers to run vast distances on foot. There is no money in it and no fame, frequently not even the approval of peers. But as poets, apostles and philosophers have insisted from the dawn of time, there is more to life than logic and common sense. The ultra runners know this instinctively. And they know something else that is lost on the sedentary. They understand, perhaps better than anyone, that the doors to the spirit will swing open with physical effort. In running such long and taxing distances they answer a call from the deepest realms of their being -- a call that asks who they are ...
- David Blaikie
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
A Visit from a Legend
I know, I've been a non-blogger and a non-runner with a running blog for a while. Well, not quite a non-runner. I've been putting in 10-12 miles per week.
But here we go. I have three straight days of working out.
Saturday I had a great 40 plus mile ride with Jenny and Lynanne, two friends from Triabetes. We weren't fast, but we did the Usery Pass hill, 4 miles of climbing, which is a good workout however you do it.
Then Sunday I was feeling lazy, but I got a call in the afternoon from the legendary Bill Carlson. Bill is almost my age, a year younger, has had diabetes almost as long as I have, a little less. He is an elite level bicycle racer, a marathoner and ultramarathoner with a sub-24 hour finish in the Western States 100, and the first type 1 diabetic Ironman, having done Kona in 1983.
Bill told me last week that he was coming out to Arizona, and he'd like to go for a run with me while he and his family were in Phoenix. For me, this is a bit like having Michael Jordan say he'd like to shoot some hoops with you while he's in the neighborhood.
So Sunday night, Bill and I ran from his hotel to the Ironman Arizona venue and went around Tempe Town Lake. It was a little over 7 miles at a comfortable pace for me, which I'm sure was tedious for Bill. But it was great to talk to him again, to share some stories and hear some of the wild stuff he's been doing and is planning to do.
It was very inspiring. So I'm getting back on track.
But here we go. I have three straight days of working out.
Saturday I had a great 40 plus mile ride with Jenny and Lynanne, two friends from Triabetes. We weren't fast, but we did the Usery Pass hill, 4 miles of climbing, which is a good workout however you do it.
Then Sunday I was feeling lazy, but I got a call in the afternoon from the legendary Bill Carlson. Bill is almost my age, a year younger, has had diabetes almost as long as I have, a little less. He is an elite level bicycle racer, a marathoner and ultramarathoner with a sub-24 hour finish in the Western States 100, and the first type 1 diabetic Ironman, having done Kona in 1983.
Bill told me last week that he was coming out to Arizona, and he'd like to go for a run with me while he and his family were in Phoenix. For me, this is a bit like having Michael Jordan say he'd like to shoot some hoops with you while he's in the neighborhood.
So Sunday night, Bill and I ran from his hotel to the Ironman Arizona venue and went around Tempe Town Lake. It was a little over 7 miles at a comfortable pace for me, which I'm sure was tedious for Bill. But it was great to talk to him again, to share some stories and hear some of the wild stuff he's been doing and is planning to do.
It was very inspiring. So I'm getting back on track.
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3 comments:
Glad to hear that you're back to "feeling athletic." Hear anything about the end of September training weekend recently? I'm in for sure and I think Dan is too. How about you?
That's really cool! Wow! I'm sure it was nicer than keeping that tedious pace with me last Saturday... :) I would love to meet Bill someday, too.
We talked about my ride with you and Lynanne, Jenny, and I'm sure Bill would like to meet you, too. He was just in Phoenix for too little time during this trip.
I am still planning to do the weekend in St. George in September. See you all there!
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