U-S-A! And I am a Runner

Great hockey game last night! I can still remember where I was in 1980 (12 years old -- in 6th grade) when I heard that the US had beaten the Russians in Lake Placid. It was a coldish day and I was outside playing football and heard of the looming upset (there was no live TV of the game). I can also remember watching the game, but it really was anticlimactic in that I knew the US won at the end. Last night was nothing like that, but it was the biggest US hockey win in years, and a great game to boot.

It got me thinking about hockey and running again. This is a long story, so bear with me. On Sunday, it was my weekend to usher at our church -- both the early and late services. So, I was at our church from 8 until 12 noon, a long time (for me anyway; I only do it once a year). Our church is rather picturesque, and sits on a hill at the crossroads of town. It is hard to imagine running through my town and not passing by. This intersection is on my running route, and sits at the intersection of the village school, the library, town hall, and our church.

Anyway, Sunday morning was a pleasant morning -- about 30 degrees and sunny, with a little wind. Just cold enough not to want to run and to make it a cold trudge. So I didn't run that morning. And given it was the last day of our first winter break, not a very busy day at church, so I had a lot of time to watch outside. And there was a constant stream of runners. Men and women. Some fast, some slow. Some dressed warmly, others in shorts. It made me realize that there is just a large community of people out there doing what we do. And I am part of it. I always feel self conscious when running. I have told any number of people that, in a race, I am always the person people say "I cant believe I got beat by that guy!" I battle with my weight and am no one's picture of a svelte runner.* Anyway, very often I feel awkward and self conscious gearing up and running.

But watching the parade of people go by on Sunday, I realized, Hey I do this too. I probably do it faster, but I didn't run today, so they have me beat. But I am a runner too. "I am a runner!"

It reminded me of the promotional video they show at the New York Ranger hockey games: "I am a Ranger!" Below I have embedded the video. It starts slow, but at about 0:59, it picks up and in closing a number of average fans say "I am a Ranger."** The fans and the players are the team. Just like us runners: all of us are part of being runners, whatever our speed or look or training.



I have previously spoken of my love of hockey even though I can't skate 20 feet. But after watching this video, I want to go out and run or skate or climb a mountain!

*This of course will all change in next two months -- I'll be back to 180 soon. I promise, even though I had a debacle for a diet weekend. But come spring, I'll have that BMI under 25 in no time.

** After this video played at a game I went to with my then 7 year daughter (1st grade) , she asked me "Am I a Ranger?" I said Absolutely! And she jumped up and down like she had won the lottery.

Morning Runs

This post is about why I should run in the mornings. Not that I do that, but the reason why.

Last night I had it all planned out: after work a nice speed workout, on the treadmill at the gym, where I haven't been in about a month. A nice light lunch and snack to fuel the run. I had stepped on the scale post Thanksgiving and am about 5 pounds over my low weight from two months ago. Back into a workout as opposed to the nice runs I had in Florida over Thanksgiving.

And then about 5 p.m. I get an email from a partner: hockey tickets with a client, in a suite, at Madison Square Garden? I wanted to say no, I have to run. But I love hockey (one of these days I am going to write a post as to why I admire hockey players and hockey in general). And in a suite. With clients. Of course, I said yes.

So went to the game instead of running. And because of my light eating to prep for my run, I was starved when I got there? You know what they served in the suite? Caviar, champagne? No. Beer, pigs in a blanket, and barbecue chicken nuggets.

And the Rangers lost. Of course was a good time and all, but on the way home I thought to myself -- if I had run in the morning....I wouldn't have missed the workout and felt bad about eating 16 pigs in a blanket.

Oh well, that is life and really, pretty hard to complain. Things could be much, much worse and its all good.