Stories and memories like these have a longer shelf life than Samantha’s 4th grade picture. Memories like these have a way of giving perspective on how life’s script changes or repeats itself – for better or for worse. As with the Nike shoes, growing up I found myself copying my older brothers in many aspects. I don’t really know why. If pressed I would probably attribute it to laziness - it’s much easier to make decisions when the result of someone else’s choice seems to turn out well. Whether it was listening to The Cure, playing water polo, taking that karate class in Brawley, going to BYU or even wearing oversized black high-tops, I did what any other younger brother would do: copy.
Well, in a month’s time I will be running the San Antonio Marathon. But I need to say that regardless of past copying or imitating my elder siblings, I am not doing this to copy Nick. He has run three marathons, having run one last Saturday – an amazing feat (or feet as it were). You would never know it because of his humility and unassumingness.
I’ve wanted to run a marathon since my freshman year when I opted out of the Salt Lake City Marathon and instead ran a 10K, (a whole other story in which I slept under a tree in front of an ex-mission president’s home). I didn’t feel confident running 26 miles. I had trained a little but got scared. Spencer ran the marathon and all those who know the story are aware that once he crossed the finish line, he was carted off on a stretcher, hooked up to multiple IV’s, and saved the life of a pit bull by using mouth-to-mouth – all within 5 minutes of finishing the race. An amazing story to say the least.
Unlike Salt Lake circa 1997, I’ve given myself sufficient time to train and not back down from this physical task I’ve wanted to conquer since my freshman year. Maybe it's in my genetic code. I’ve been training since March. When I ran my first run, I waddled for 2 miles and nearly passed out. Things have definitely improved. I’ve lost about 15 pounds over the last 3 months and just ran 18 miles the Saturday before last, It has also helped that I went and got some new shoes a couple of months ago. They provide more cushion than the BYU secondary, which is good on the Tusti-knees.
This time I am not chickening out. And speaking of chickens, my chicken legs and I (as illustrated below) have made dramatic strides in strength and conditioning. Don’t look now but I think a 3-inch vertical may be in reach.
3 comments:
let us know when the race is. we'll come down and cheer you on.
Yeah, and make sure you head to taco bell before the race and load up on some $0.99 bean burritos.
(That would be after your chorizo burrito breakfast, of course.)
Hey Chad, congratulations on the marathon (and the will power to stick around the SP's office).
Man, I certainly don't remember the Nike high tops although it certainly sounds like something that I would have done. I just hope any of the fallout wasn't coupled with slamming you against the bed.
However, karma's a *$**$* as I certainly received my comeuppance---compare my height with Clint's, who had the longest streak being crowned the Christmas elf.
Oh, and I second the warning about Taco Bell. Just to describe how bad it was --- I have never had to to stop twice to try to go to the bathroom during a race before nor, and perhaps most telling, have I ever smelled my own gas before during the run. Either I was running really slow or Taco Bell foments some potent stuff.
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