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100 Miles Later - Bryce Canyon 100 race report

This week has been, at its very best, a blur.  A whirlwind of pain, sickness mixed with moments of inexpressible joy.   I know what you're thinking; of course it has been, you ran 100 miles last Friday/Saturday dummy.   And yes that has something to do with the highs and lows.  Amid all of the "normal" things that come with a post 100 miles effort I have also fought a stomach flu and traveled to Tampa for meetings.   So my mind is mush, my soul is Swiss cheese and I'm finding ways to smile through it all.   With that in mind, be kind in your judgments on my rambling about what Bryce means to me and what I learned.  Sums up post run Sean - Photo Cred to Julia The idea of running Bryce came by way of Brett Sherfy.  During one of our group runs he mentioned the race as a possible 100 for the crew.  This conversation was in 2016 and I have written in the past about the inspiration that conversation has provided.  Bryce  has been on my mind ever since.  Some days

Are those nachos in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?

"When you say you saw her, I assume you mean in the literal sense?"  I asked Fenny half hoping he had, in fact, seen her and half hoping it was the figment of an overactive imagination.  Ever since we found our way out of the quagmire that started so many years ago Fenny had been known for letting his fears override his grip on reality.  He would often swear we were being followed.  Stalked.  Fenny answered "As sure as I am sitting here.  She saw me too.  I know it, I just know it.  What are we going to do?  Christ! She saw me.. she did...".  I interrupted here and spoke to Fenny in a quiet yet firm tone, "Ok.  If she did, let's say she did see you.  What?  Did you she follow you? Is she outside the window?  No?   Of course she isn't.  She isn't that dumb."  I think I was trying to calm us both down.  Storms follow some people.  Some people create the storms.   But Elle was the storm.  And she didn't care who got caught in her destruct

And there she is...

"I saw her."  Fenny wasn't known for flat subtlety.  Over the years the man had honed his skill for turning mundane interactions into carnival level productions .  But as he said those words with the dark tone of unfettered fear, I couldn't help but smirk.  And this was in spite of the fact that I knew exactly who he was talking about. _________________________________________________________________________________ Not long after our time in the clink for our minor vegetation infraction, Fenny and I decided that we still needed to see the Smokys.   By time in the clink I am talking the weekend.   We paid our fine and we were on our way.  Record besmirched but on our way.  Prison can do strange things to a person.  Make you really appreciate the finer things.  For me, it made me really want a burger from any one of the finer establishments that dot the highways across our great nation.  Thee burger of choice was marketed by employing the red headed daughter of it

Day One

As I flipped on the light switch I felt the electricity of anticipation surge through my body.  It isn't going to be an ordinary day.  No day after today will be ordinary.   It was odd to know this and yet still be unsure of just how extraordinary today would become.  How different I was going to be from here on out.  Knowledge is fleeting and floating.  It is a sly thing.  Hard to attain and, if not properly cared for, will slip away like a lost sneeze.   Grip too tightly and you can snuff it out or twist it into a shape unrecognizable.   It's enough to make you want to switch the light back off. The weather was holding onto the last remnants of early winter.  Afternoons could be sunny and mild.  They could also turn overcast and blustery.  Because of this I grabbed my jacket just in case my hoodie wouldn't be enough.   I took one last look back into my apartment thinking through my mental check list.  Back window, locked.  Water faucet, off.  Lights in the bedroom, off.