Nothing better than a pair of dirty running shoes!

Last night, I almost got into a fight with a brash, arrogant individual with no filter. There is something to be said about emotional intelligence. It seems to be rare these days, especially if alcohol is present... Tequila, to be exact. There are some things you just shouldn't talk about at a Tequila party. Religion is at the top of the list. Here's a recap of the night: Oktoberfest! Lots of fun, beer and Brats soaked in Guinness...good times. Frymire proposes to his girlfriend while q'ing the Brats. Fun and really random. Fast forward past peeing in the bushes, two fire pits, lots of beer, wine, vodka and various deep conversations about the anatomy of a human being. Stranger says "The Catholic church is garbage!" I say, in jest, "My dad was a priest." He says, "Sucks to be you!" I go black and white and tell him he will leave without a scrotum. Yeah... that's it. My wife made me get up and leave the party because it wasn't going to end well. 

So, what does this have to do with running? 

My wife and I ran 8 miles this morning in Lodi wine country. We drank too much, and slept too little, but we got up and ran 8 miles. And, I'm so glad I did. Running is the perfect detoxifier. We ran through the Zinfandel vineyards, the drip-lines, the irrigation canals, and the squirrels munching on acorns, and the Sikh religious center that was celebrating something with lots of great smelling food. And in the end, I felt better about the whole thing. I don't usually lose my temper, but I did, and I lost it well. Hopefully my friends won't ex-communicate me from the inner circle of October fest participants. I just couldn't let someone say something terrible to a group of people that I love and respect. I had to put him in check. I don't know if I did, but I put myself out there and let it all hang out.  

Running keeps me sane!

What does running have to do with living? Running is just something one does to stay in shape, right? Well no. Not for me. The primitive lizard brain drives my behavior. I have to run. I'm dependent on running. It keeps me normal. So running links my experience to life in a complex and dynamic way. That's why I have to run. The metaphor is ridiculous. In reality, running keeps the lizard brain in check. Running calms me and brings me back to center, back to a semblance of normal. Running keeps me beta when alpha wants to dominate. So I run. And I run, ignoring feet and knee problems, I run.

I've lost track of the number of marathons I've ran. I've also lost track of the # of ultras I've suffered through. I know that there's a website that tracks all this, but I haven't looked at it lately. And you know what? It doesn't really matter anymore. I use to worry about PRs and overall performance. I don't anymore. That's not why I run. I don't run to PR. I don't run to be first in my division. I don't run to prove something to someone, including myself. I don't run to get away from the police or the INS. I just run to run. I also love to help others do their first races. I'm currently helping my wife train for the Napa Valley Marathon. This will be here first marathong. She's a neophite! I've done this marathon once, a long time ago. I remember the beautiful scenery, the rollers and the canted road. I also remember cruising along at an 8 minute pace. I think I was pacing a friend that day. How does she feel about her first marathon? She has no idea. Someone said childbirth. I said I don't know about that. I've never had a human being leave my body. I do know that if she's not ready for that day, she's going be one unhappy camper. So, my job is to get her ready, and I will. We've already started getting ready.

So, why do I run? Running is a microcosm to life. Each run is an alchemy of sorts that transforms something simple into something precious. It happens every time I run. It's internal, eternal, and fundamental to life.

Beer is good! There is something called the Paleo-Diet that bans people from drinking beer. It's the Caveman diet. The premise is that you don't eat anything that a caveman wouldn't eat. Well, my claim is that cavemen invented beer. Neanderthal Ned left a bunch of primative wheat in an enclosed container, and it began to ferment. When Ned returned from a day at the office, the grain had fermented and Ned had a great night. Maybe singing and beer were invented on the same day? Perhaps the original beer wasn't much different from modern day Kombucha?

Nonetheless, beer is older than most things, so why would I abstain from something that has sustained us for thousands of years? Doesn't make sense to me. There is nothing better that an ice cold IPA after a 30 mile training run.

Recently, my wife and I visited Santa Cruz Mountain Brewery. They had great organic beer. The best treat there, however, was Horchata beer. Horchata is a Mexican rice drink with strong vanilla and cinnamon overtones. Don't know how they did it, but they managed to create a delicious beer that tastes just like Horchata.

Why I Run

Running...from what? I've been running from something since I can remember. In moments of self-turmoil, I find reason, purpose, non-static reality in running. Running reminds me that I'm alive. I get out on a run, and I remember that I want to find my home, eventually. All that matters is the oxygen I breath into my lungs.  "So why do you run?" So I can eat. So I can be normal. It's better than heroine. I run because I have no choice. Running drives me now. If I don't run, I begin to act like a reptile who needs a safe slimmy rock to hide under. Running keeps me thin, healthy and presentable to the world. My wife says I have E.D. Exercise dependancy is the condition in which a person is addicted to exercise. I have to run. It's as sacred as eating, sleeping, sex and drinking beer. I run because I have to.