Never Say "Never"

by: Richard J. Muscio

On my way up to Big Sur last weekend I spent Saturday night in Avila Beach.  So I took the opportunity Sunday morning to do a hill training run of about 4 miles to San Luis Port. 

On the way back, at a distance of about 50 yards from the roadside speedometer, I was clocked at 8 miles per hour (a 7 and ½ minute per mile pace).  So I kicked it up to 10 miles per hour and then 12 miles per hour as I passed the speedometer (that’s a 5 minute per mile pace).

When I ran the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon this past June 6^th, the 4 lead Marathon runners passed me at mile 5 (which was about mile 10 for them on the Marathon, as they had to do an extra loop around downtown).

They don’t run so much as glide across the earth.  A true sight of beauty to witness. In any case, they were moving at about 12 miles per hour; the Marathon winner finished in 2 hours and 9 minutes, which is a pace of about 4 minutes and 55 seconds per mile.

In other words, the pace that I hit running past the San Luis Port speedometer, which I kept up for all of about 20 yards, was the pace that the Marathon winner maintained for 26.2 miles.

So when anybody tells me that they don’t run because human beings weren’t meant to run, I say watch an elite runner perform and you will change your mind.  And I further opine that human beings weren’t meant to sit all day, especially staring at computer screens.

And if you think you could never run, then I say just look at me.  For the first 46 years of my life I never ran.  I only became a runner after I went blind, then regained my eyesight (more on that later).  5 years ago I ran my 1^st 5K (3.1 miles).  This past April 19^th I ran the Boston Marathon.  In the Rock and Roll Half-Marathon this past June, I finished in 370^th place out of almost 14,000 finishers.

Running can be transformational not only for individuals, but for communities as well.  More on that topic later too, so please stayed tuned.  And pass me if you can!