This evening our running group did the first tempo run of the season. The tempo consists of a 3 mile run at around a 5K pace. We warm up for a couple of miles, doing stride outs - short accelerations. Then we stop and stretch for a little while. After the tempo we run easy for a couple of miles.I was pretty pleased with my mile splits: 7.01, 7.15 (ice patches slowed me some), and 7.04. This is only the first one, so I hope to turn in sub-7 miles before too long. Last year I started out with 7.40s, so I am way ahead this year. My good mileage base plus my weight loss are really helping me. I am the lightest I have been in a long time, and I still have a few pounds to go.
I'm registered for the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon on April 24th. Hopefully this will be my Boston qualifier. I am focused and working hard. We'll see...
Last night and today I've had a hard time not thinking about the death of Mike Daugherty. He was killed tragically in a wreck last night. Mike was a really good guy. He was an authentic Christian and a good runner. We coached junior high cross country together for a few years. He leaves behind a wife and 4 children that range from high school to 3rd grade.
A death like Mike's sure brings perspective to a lot of things, and it is a reminder of the fragile nature of life. He was simply going to watch his daughter place basketball. He did not plan on dying last night, but I know he was prepared. That is the source of peace and even joy. He got to his final destination a few years earlier than expected, but in light of eternity what is 40 years? The hard part, of course, is the family that has to wait for their reunion with him.
2 comments:
Allen:
Mike's death is really difficult to rationalize. I have been struggling with it yet as you noted the solice i have is that i know where Mike is today. no doubt in my mind and i know some day i will run a mile or two with him again. bill wrote a great piece on mike on his blog as well.
tempo was great last night and fitting too. as bill said, mike was always planning on a running comeback and how fitting for us to start our tempos for our comeback on mike's passing.
rr
Yes, indeed, it is hard to figure out. I was thinking of Mike on the tempo run last night, which helped me push through a tough spot or two.
Mike's death is the stuff of theodicy. And it is the stuff of faith. Lots and lots of questions that all begin with "why?". The older I get the more I realize that faith is essentially trust and is a call to live with the questions for which we get no answers.
Yes, Bill D. does have a nice piece on Mike.
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