By David Freeze
My Bucket List Done and Undone!
Things have been very busy in the running world lately, and internationally and back here in Rowan County. It seems every week that a new marathon record gets set and now that we are officially under two hours for 26.2 miles, how low can it go? American women did extremely well in the Boston Marathon, something they almost never do, this year taking four of the top 10 places. I am excited about all things running, just as I usually am. I decided to order a book offered on Amazon called The Runner Bucket List by Jeff Horowitz.
Bucket list items are special to me! In my mid-50s, I started making my own list and attacking it. Many of you remember my cross-country and regional bike rides, every one of them on my bucket list. Two were the best, Astoria, Oregon to Myrtle Beach over 54 days, and also first on my bucket list. The second was the bike ride from Carson City, Nevada to Anchorage, Alaska because it took me so deep into the unknown. My run across North Carolina in the winter was high on the list but only after good friend Ed Dupree asked me to do it.
Others that developed were biking in all 50 states, visiting all the 100 county seats in North Carolina and marathons in New York City, Montreal, London, Boston and plenty more. All of these are complete, with great memories and not a shred of regret.
On the list right now are at least a few of those super long Amtrak trips across the US, highlighted by many areas that can only best be seen by train. Another is visiting all the NC State Historic Sites. I’m getting that urge.
When Amazon sent me the offer on the Runner Bucket List, I ordered it, just to see what I have already done, and maybe a few ideas of runs that I can still do.
So here goes. This is a great little hardback book, and it’s very reasonably priced. I am now devouring it! Some of it is about bucket list items that superhuman athletes do, but most could be done by anyone. For the rest of this column, I am going to touch on a few things covered in the book that I have already done, just regular things that made the list. Some are big ticket items, and a few are available just about any day at little cost.
Take a coaching class, I did this through Road Runners Club of America and loved it. Then I did a level 2 class, another big win. Next, I read about running in bad weather, one of my favorite things. After getting caught in horrendous, lightning and wind filled thunderstorms many times on the bike when I was totally alone, little around here seems daunting. I will say it till the day I die; nothing beats running in snow during light wind, another item that made the list. Running in falling snow early in the storm is of course the best, while the footing is still good. Also on the list, join a running club, which I am sure was a great move that paid off almost 40 years ago.
Gear choices mentioned that I did right include various running logs and always having a good watch to measure distance, pace, time and now heart rate. I don’t care about much of that other stuff the $1,000 watches do.
In Chapter 10, under ways to give back, sits a segment called simply “Be a race volunteer” I know people who have run hundreds of races but have never once been a volunteer. There are always plenty of jobs to do, and most are easy. And not a single race will happen without volunteers. Certain runners seem unaware of volunteers, just focused on their own struggle or goals. Be a volunteer!
And finally, run at least one of the world’s major marathons. These are the big ones, London which topped out about 60,000 runners last week, Boston and New York are the ones I have done. Berlin, Tokyo and Chicago are the ones I haven’t done. I do have a Chicago half marathon along Lake Michigan, one of my all-time favorites races, but even more spectacular in the dark.
With that, I will save the items still on my bucket list and undone for an upcoming column.
An omission from last week’s column was Adalie Harrison’s finishing time for her Nashville Marathon time. Her time was 3 hours, 35 minutes and 35 seconds.
Our next race is the Ed Dupree 5K on May 16th at East Rowan High School. Proceeds go to the Ed Dupree Scholarship and Hospice. Look for this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
