Mountain Goat gets my vote
Syracuse, NY comes alive
My goal for The Mountain Goat Run yesterday was to have fun and smile. When my friend Lari sent me this picture she took— I was thrilled.
Goals achieved!
Thank you so much, Lari.
Mountain Goat Gets My Vote 10-mile relay run Gratitude first before the gun— Thank you body for another mile To toe the start line with a smile Fist pumps of camaraderie It’s like I won the lottery Today’s race to fill my cup A reminder— keep showing up Here we go! A symphony of beats Cowbells ring down the streets Syracuse New York comes alive My heart grows, soars with pride Mountain goat run underway I pick up the pace, wave and say— Hey Lari!
Who did you wave to at your last race?
I love your two upbeat poems.
I had a memorable wave at my last race, the Antelope Canyon 50. I was running outbound around mile 35 while the 50K runners, who started later in the day and had a shorter course, were running toward us to reach the finish. A young Asian woman with straight-cut bangs began waving both hands at me, as if to gesture, "it's me! I see you!" In a flash of recognition, I thought, "no way! small world!" It was the Taiwanese woman I met six weeks earlier on the shuttle bus to the start of the Black Canyon 60K. She had boarded the bus looking shy and nervous. I patted the seat next to me and smiled. A conversation ensued for the thirty-minute predawn drive. She was from Taiwan with a thick accent but perfect English, studying in New York City. She wanted to run an ultra in the desert. She struck me as a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, making me think not just "seize the day" but, "seize the world!" I told her that if she wanted an even more scenic race, she should consider coming back to Arizona for this Antelope Canyon ultra in March, on the Navajo Nation with slot canyons and a view of the river called Horseshoe Bend. She actually listened and did it. She came back to run this race in the desert six weeks later because of our chance meeting. I waved back and we ran at each other and did a double-handed high-five, hugged, and she ran to the finish and I kept on. And several hours later, when I crossed the finish, she was there waiting for me, and she wrapped me in a mylar sheet for warmth and took our selfies, and we've stayed connected on Instagram ever since. I'm encouraging her to visit me and run a race in Colorado this summer. That's one of the things I most love about running ultras—the people you meet and the bonds it makes.
I waved to the sharp rocks beneath my feet on a recent trail marathon. They were...not that fun!