The Doctor Is In

Even Lucy, of Peanuts fame, got 5 cents for helping poor Charlie Brown. Liam didn't get squat.

An easy 48 minutes of continuous talking with Liam this afternoon. We hit Beacon Hill Park to see the daffodils starting to wilt, and the grey skies start to overrun the beautiful sunshine we have had the past couple of days. Around the waterfront and meandering our way back through Fairfield.

But the importance of the run was that I think I came to a decision about running the Vancouver Marathon. The answer is no.

Mike was good enough to entertain my many ideas and give thoughtful feedback on them all - offering potential realities and scenarios. After listening to me blather on about the different races I wanted to do well at, he would always give me the pros and cons of how Vancouver would affect it. Ultimately, it came down to two things:

1. I want to run the trail races well this summer. The Gutbusters, Iron Knee, Comfortable Numb and, of course, Iceland. This is where my heart lies, not so much on the road, although I do enjoy the steady footfalls of a road race.

2. I determined, through reverse thinking process*, that the rationale for running Vancouver was that I wanted to SAY that I had run a 2:3x:xx. It was that, and not the race itself, that was my motivating force, and that is not a good enough reason to enter a race - especially a marathon. Ego will never allow you to run a good marathon - you must be humble before the 42.2km and only then, when you respect the race, will you be successful. I was planning on running the Royal Victoria Marathon in the fall, and I will stick to that plan.

A good run this evening, clearing the head and enjoying the companionship as well. Thank you to Dr. Liam for the free counselling - I owe you a Guinness.

Duration - 48:38
AHR - 140

* New term I just coined. Refers to the proces of figuring out the worst case scenario and basing decisions on that. I may never leave the comfort of my bed again.