I will write up a race report
for The Viking Way Ultra when I have a little more time. Suffice to say, I
DNF’d at 113 miles. That’s a long way to run – but it’s still a DNF.
I rarely run with my iPod as
I like to hear the birds singing, the sounds of nature and just the sounds of
life. It’s also strangely reassuring to hear one’s own breathing and footfall.
I have only resorted to my iPod twice during races. Both times when really
struggling and both times the first song to come on has been Happiness Is The
Road by Marillion.
“The greatest blessing that we have
Is the dawn of each new day
A chance to finish what we started
And made a mess of yesterday
As day comes out of night
A chance to get it right
A chance to start again
A chance to get it right
The people here
Full of love and comfortable in themselves
Not scared to let go
No fear round here
I met this man
In Utrecht Netherlands
He was a doctor of the body and the soul
He said to me:
Man, there's a book you have to read.
I feel your pain. It makes me cry
But these tears are yours - not mine.
You're focussing on all of your bad yesterdays
The worry lines are getting deeper every day
And deep inside you
No surprise - there's a crisis!
You might have been to blame
But you can't go on this way
Must I watch and pray?
While you torture yourself with what's behind ya
Torture yourself with what awaits ya
Draggin' that guilt and regret inside ya
Anxious of the goals that always evade ya
Your mind will find a way to be unkind to you somehow
But all we really have is happening to us right now
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
And each baby..
A human sunrise
Each baby - a human sunrise..
Look around you
Feel your soul inside you
Look inside you
Feel the life course through you
The life that's giving In every thing that's living
The plants and the trees
The birds and the bees
And apes like you and me
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
You're a slave to your mind
But you are not your mind
You are not your pain
Say it again
You are not your pain
Say it again
You are not your pain
Happiness aint at the end of the road
Happiness aint at the end of the road
Happiness IS the road
The road
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
Is the dawn of each new day
A chance to finish what we started
And made a mess of yesterday
As day comes out of night
A chance to get it right
A chance to start again
A chance to get it right
The people here
Full of love and comfortable in themselves
Not scared to let go
No fear round here
I met this man
In Utrecht Netherlands
He was a doctor of the body and the soul
He said to me:
Man, there's a book you have to read.
I feel your pain. It makes me cry
But these tears are yours - not mine.
You're focussing on all of your bad yesterdays
The worry lines are getting deeper every day
And deep inside you
No surprise - there's a crisis!
You might have been to blame
But you can't go on this way
Must I watch and pray?
While you torture yourself with what's behind ya
Torture yourself with what awaits ya
Draggin' that guilt and regret inside ya
Anxious of the goals that always evade ya
Your mind will find a way to be unkind to you somehow
But all we really have is happening to us right now
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
And each baby..
A human sunrise
Each baby - a human sunrise..
Look around you
Feel your soul inside you
Look inside you
Feel the life course through you
The life that's giving In every thing that's living
The plants and the trees
The birds and the bees
And apes like you and me
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
You're a slave to your mind
But you are not your mind
You are not your pain
Say it again
You are not your pain
Say it again
You are not your pain
Happiness aint at the end of the road
Happiness aint at the end of the road
Happiness IS the road
The road
HAPPINESS IS THE ROAD
There are about 180 songs
on my “exercise” playlist. The probability of a named song coming up first,
twice in a row, is about 1:32,400. Is technology taking the p*ss?!
Oh the irony! “And deep
inside you, no surprise - there's a crisis!”
3 comments:
Richard, I DNF'd at the GUCR last year having got to 91 miles...I had a habit of saying "I only got to 91 miles" (meaning out of 145) but I was told by my good ultra buddy, it was not "only" but an incredible achievement. We are too hard on ourselves and what you achieved is frankly awesome...I don't see it as a DNF, I see it as amazing.
Thanks for that Jerry - have to admit that I'm still torn between the 2 - incredible achievement vs DNF. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained and I live to fight another day!!
I enjoy your blog - thanks
All of you Ultra runners inspire me. I'm training now for my first half & full marathons next year with an ambition to try an ultra in 2014. You wiring keeps me focused and targeted to crossing that line after 13, 26, 50, 100+ miles. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
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