On the road with Bill - Dec 2006

My final competitive race of 06 was the White Rock Dallas Marathon Dec 10th.I had attended the Expo for 3-4 years with my colleague and fellow PhD in distance running, Frank Shorter. After my annual Friday morning 9 miler around the trails of Dallas beautiful running site, White Rock lake, with a doctor from doctor Coopers famous Fitness center in Dallas, and newly turned 50 White Rock marathon Board members, Jon Baer, we all decided to run the Half. I hadn’t brought my racing shoes along, but I did enjoy the pasta dinner with a bit more gusto knowing I’d be pushing the pace the next day, as neither John or the Doctor, were low key kind of runners; not exactly penguins shall we say? More like Hawks!

Race day was perfect for the Marathon and Half and though I didn't enjoy the urban concrete initial miles as we left the city I began to push the pace-and so did Jon and our Doctor friend; we were racing now, with a goal in mind; 1:35 or better a pr for me for the year. We hit our mark and it felt good to be a Racer again! Next year sub 7 mins in all my races, maybe sub 6 if all goes ok.

Met some interesting folks when I did my talk, and met with Runners and walkers at the expo; most of the new young runners don't know folks like me, frank shorter, or Joan Benoit Samuelson, due to the push to sell subscriptions to beginners and ignore professional running. A Pity for the Sport, as only by understanding how to improve and aim higher will you get there; and we know about that. My thanks to the Dallas white rock Organization for bringing me back to the rock; I had the chance to meet the 80 yr older who walked her 1st half marathon; now that’s aiming high! One day there'll be many 80 year old women-and men out there on the roads.

I also enjoy Dallas White rock marathon as its a fund raiser for Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, where care is free for all children. What if we could do that across the US? I think we can; it takes vision and willpower; like runners had in Dallas Dec 10th. Of course, we need leaders with the same drive; not Penguins so much as Hawks.

Run steady, Bill