Yesterday marked 25 years since I stopped drinking,the GREATEST victory I've ever won I don't think I'd still be alive otherwise,at least the quality of my life would NOT be what it is thanks to the grace of God and the fellowship of Alcoholics Anoyomous and while I deeply appeciate 25 years of continued sobriety it don't mean jack if I don't get another day.......and that's why my celebrations of Rob Heffernan's gold in the 50k Race Walk in Moscow at Worlds yesterday were limited to a pint of Strawberry Milk post workout.
Fair play to him after finishing 4th in the Euros and last years Olympics it was a well deserve victory for the 35 year old Cork man,few could begrudge him his moment in the sun yesterday entering the Luzhiki Stadium that no doubt sparked massive celebrations back home in Ireland and where ever Paddies are scattered acrosss the four corners of the universe.
It was Irelands first World Championships gold since a fellow Cork athlete Sonia O Sullivan won the womens 5,000m in Gothenburg in 1995 and remarkably came on the EXACT date that will live in Irish history.......
August 14th 1983 Helsinki the inaugural World Championships and Eamon Coghlan winning the mens 5,000m final is a day I've lived and relived over and over,thanks to You Tube I can watch that race whenever I need a boost to my training and while Eamon's victory warrented the downing of several pints of Guinness back in 83 I don't view Sonia's or Robert's golds as any the less special because they came after I got sober.
My 7.5 miler out and back along Schuylkill Banks last nite proved to be an eye opener in more ways than one.........one thing I realized was my thoughts of making tonites 8 miler a tempo run were wishful thinking.
I can't keep spewing "there's no timetable for my recovery" rethoric from the pulpit if I'm gonna rush my way back into tempo runs and it was evident this week working my way back up the mileage ladder from 6.5,7 and 7.5 miles that my knee lift and leg turnover need more reps b4 a worthwhile 8.4 mile tempo run is a consideration,providing things go to schedule I'll log a 10 miler on Sunday w/ back to back to back 8 milers next Monday thro Wednesday then maybe next Thursday will be the right time to return to 8.4 mile tempo runs around the Art Museum Loop.
Remember my "no pissing contest" mindset from Monday and Tuesday? I think it went out the window last nite.....making the turn at 3.75 miles I headed back towards Lloyd Hall sticking to the sidewalk as is my wont and not taking the slightly shorter route along by the river......when the two paths merged a runner behind me who'd ran along the river suddenly blew by me....whatever dude i was content to let him go as I still had 3 and a 1/4 miles to run.....
As we approached Lloyd Hall he went straight as I swung off to my right again following the route I always take and thought how good my instincts were not to get involved in a chase that would've only lasted some 500m......or so I thought!
As the path snaked back around to the back of the Art Museum here came Dude sprinting ahead of me again but clearly making his way towards an up ramp up to the Art Museum,I was impressed as his speed up the ramp as I got my head down along the Bank pathway convinced I'd seen the last of him......
Fuck Me Gently W/ A Chainsaw!!!! just as I passed the new skateboard park after the Art Museum I heard footsteps and someone breathing hard on my left shoulder,a quick glance across my shoulder revealed a white shirt and red shorts..the same Dude was wearing........
FUCK IT!!! I was done playing possum and being a nice guy clearly Dude was using me as his own personal rabbit and I had had enough,you wanna dance?lets dance motherfucker!!!!!!
I might be several weeks removed from my best form but I can dig deep and throw down when need be after matching me stride for stride for the first few strides I not only put daylight between us but keep pulling away till he couldn't be seen or heard again.
As a wise old man once told me not all of lifes great victories need to be on a grand scale words to live by indeed,guess I WON'T be drinking to that....not today anyway!
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