I’m on this named WOD binge lately, but today’s prescription from HQ was to run a 10k. Running is something I hate. Dropping f-bombs the whole way kinda hate. I can deal with 400m sprints, etc., but 5k and 10k options aren’t something I look forward to and I’ve passed on them frequently. I’m not doing that anymore; I’m committed to improvement. So I saw it, grabbed my Fivefingers, and headed to the gym where they have a 1/16 track. If you hate it, do it ‘till you love it, right?

And… I surprised the hell out of myself. Despite the chafing from the decidedly not-running shorts I wore, I finished in 49:33. A personal best by at least 10 minutes. It made my disappointing performance in yesterday’s Games attempt seem like a distant memory. I still hate running, but I’m done listening to my own complaints. I have a new goal of knocking 5 minutes off my time when a 10k hits the rotation again. Always be better, every single day.

Ok, so that’s cool in my opinion, but check this out:

There’s this cat at my gym who is visibly physically handicapped. I’ve always been impressed that he’s ALWAYS at the gym. He also seems to know every person in there by name and makes a point of shouting out at people when he sees them. Seems like a cool guy, I just never bothered to meet him.

So I’m rounding my last lap today, and this guy starts to ask me how many laps I was doing. I was so close to being done I just put up my hand and said “one more”. I finished and walked over to him, out of breath, and explained I just ran a 10k. He seemed super impressed. He proceeds to introduce himself and tells me that he’s putting on a 5k in town to support an organization he’s involved with: Shared Journey’s Brain Injury Foundation. I show some interest (having just PR’d a 10k, I was feeling pretty good) and he starts to tell me his story. Holy. Shitballs.

In 2004, Nate was hit by a car going 40 mph while he was leaning out of a friend’s vehicle to grab a dropped cell phone. I hope I got that right; I was stunned to be talking to him. No idea what other details there might be, but needless to say, Nate was wrecked. Broken neck, brain hemorrhaging, coma, all of it. And I’m standing there, out of breath from a simple, stupid run, talking to some one with a very serious passion for life. It was evident in the way he introduced himself, his openness about his injuries, his eagerness invite me into the fold of his foundation (even if just for a 5k), let alone the fact that he’s taken himself from dead-in-the-water to walking/talking/gettingdownwithit. I walked out with a different appreciation for what I accomplished in my PR - nothing compared what this guy has been through.

Nate, I’m glad to know you. Hell yeah I’ll run that 5k.

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