Runners.

Runners are a weird bunch of individuals. I always knew that I was "stranger" than most, due to the fact that I enjoy running. After I got off from work, around 10pm, I told my co-workers that I still had to go running that evening. They asked "How far" and I calmly said "Ten". Their response... "MILES!?!?!?!" "No feet...." I am thinking to myself; of course miles. Retards haha.

What kind of person enjoys putting themselves through weekly battles of Mind vs. Matter competitions? Who actually enjoys punishing their bodies so much that they can barely walk the next day? Who would rather be at the brink of collapsing and breathlessness at the end of a race, than to be able to walk off the track? Runners. We are peculiar individuals who, for some reason, like to torture ourselves. Maybe we have all become brainwashed by Kanye/Goethe/Nietzsche; "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger."

I recently started putting a picture at the top of each one of my posts, to help bring some more variety to my posts, rather than for my blog to be just words on a page. The picture posted above is one of Dathan Ritzenhein during the 2009 World Championship 10k Final. He ended up taking sixth in the race, the first non-African finisher in the race. During high school, I thought that he was a god. 2x Footlocker Champion, 8:44 2-mile PR in high school, which I believe is #11 All-Time behind (Verzbicas (8:29), Fernandez (8:34), Nelson (8:36), Lindgren (8:40indoor), Virgin (8:40.9), Prefontaine (8:42.5) Cheserek (8:42), Scharsu (8:44) and Reynolds (8:44). When he broke the AR in the 5000m in 2009, I was so happy for him. He battled a lot of injuries during his college career, but he persevered and made his way sub 13min. I think that he should focus on the 10k at the upcoming Olympics. He has made two World Championship teams in the 10k ('07 & '09) and I think that the strength he has gained from his marathon training will help he become successful in the 10k, more so the marathon. That's just my opinion.