The Deer and The Fear

3 days and counting...

Finished my LAST individual training run of the prescribed 30 minutes at 6am this morning. It was cold and brisk and wonderful.

A few other joggers, a dog walker and a lonely deer who let me jog right up to his position along the sidewalk before he scampered into the woods. Looking back, he carefully crept right back out and took up his position right back on the sidewalk.

A great analogy as I approach Sunday morning: That deer could have easily represented my fears, negativity and unknowns that await me on race day. There it was, creeping out of the darkness, taking up its position, seemingly cold, steely and confident.

Fear can do the same. It can creep out nowhere, from some strange darkness, and show its silhouette under the moonlight. But, if one approaches it with disciplined confidence, and even a degree of curiosity, it suddenly shows itself for what it really is----a scared and lonely and trembling little creature.

All of sudden the fear, like that deer shrinks in its own terror having been discovered and retreats back into the darkness from which it came. And I go running right by...

But that deer crept right back out after I left. And like every present dormant fear, it proved that it is resilient. The question then becomes......next time will I approach it with confidence or shrink and run the other way? I know the answer. A hunter I am not. I wont blow it away with a shotgun, but I will run right by in confidence.

Well, this is it. Sunday is the big day. We meet at 6.45 am to begin our trek to the marathon site and are scheduled to begin at 8:40 am.

THANK YOU TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT, FINANCIAL DONATIONS TO THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS AND YOUR INTEREST IN THIS MILESTONE!

Total Training Months: 6 months, 5 days
Total Training Miles: 403

The end of my playlist:

"Speed of Sound" Coldplay
"Big Yellow Taxi" Counting Crows
"In Between Days" The Cure
"Groovy Train" The Farm
"Primitive Man" Ivan Neville
"Sky High" Jigsaw
"Precious Time" Journey
"Out of the Frying Pan" Meat Loaf
"I Melt With You" Modern English
"You're My Best Friend" Queen
"Roll with the Changes" REO Speedwagon
"Light Up" Styx
"Good Times" Tommy Lee
"You Shook Me All Night Long" AC/DC
"Dont Let Me Down" The Farm
"I Knew You Were Waiting" George Michael, Aretha Franklin
"Closer to Fine" Indigo Girls
"Sweet Caroline" Neil Diamond
"For You" The Outfield
"Add It Up" Violent Femmes