After Monday's hour run my knee wasn't taking it. About three weeks ago I twisted me knee on an epic 2 hour run through the snow. On that day I headed out to Heil Ranch (after a little snow storm) and was the only one out there. I broke trail nearly the whole way- losing the trail many times. Since that epic run, my right knee has been hurting on and off. With that in mind I decided once and for all to take three days completely off. No running, cycling, climbing or anything. I'm on day two right now and losing my mind.
I'v been told before that when you are forced to stop something you realize how important it is to you. Although I have been injured before it wasn't until now that I realized how essential being outside and active is to me. Its not even running, its everything. I have come to realize that I will never live in crowded clustered cities. I need the wilderness and open space to keep my sanity. As many of you know, I'm moving to NYC for one year next year to get a masters degree. After that I plan to move anywhere that I can easily access the wilderness. I know that means not living and working in NYC. Everyone tells me to not shut my "doors" and be willing to work there. I'm laying it out, right here and now, that I will not be living in NYC. I don't care if that shuts doors, that is a life I don't want and will not live. So please stop telling me this.
The question I get asked the most is why? Why do I want to run a 100 mile race? Most people look at me like I'm completely bat shit crazy. I remember one night out I was a wee bit tipsy and trying to convince a complete stranger that a a 50 mile running race was nothing. A walk in the park. He definitely thought I was crazy.
So why do I do it? To be honest, I don't completely understand. I do know that it has something to do with experiencing life to the fullest. For me running, cycling, and climbing all push my body to the limit and that's when I believe you truly live. The sensation for running in the mountains for hours on end, to the point of exhaustion, is essential to experiencing life. This all hit home when my close friend Richard Abruzzo came to a tragic death. I grew up cycling with Richard and always thought he was a total bad ass. When he showed up for a ride, I was worried. I was lucky enough to have Richard visit me in Boulder, CO last summer for a weekend of riding. I can't explain the feelings I had when I beat him up the local climbs. I will always remember the last time I saw him alive and will fondly look back at the weekend- a highlight in my cycling career for sure.
When Richard died, two things happened. The first was when I was talking to Jim Klabunde, Jim told me that "...Richard lived, he didn't just go through the motions he truly lived." This is something that I will never forget. It's why I do it. I want to live, I don't want to waste away in some office, in front of a computer, or in a concrete jungle. The second thing Richard's death taught me was that he died doing what he loved. Some people think he was being irresponsible and stupid but I can't disagree with this point enough. I have found that there are two different types of people in this world. One who jumps off the cliff and one who watches and says "thats re-tarted." If you belong to the group that jumps, you get it. There is something we understand that we will never be able to explain to the other group. Richard and I are proudly part of the group who jump and I will not even attempt to explain it because you will not understand, ever.
If your part of the group that jumps you probably understand my reasons for running insane distances. If not, you probably think this whole thing is stupid.
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