Friday, April 10, 2009

Motivation

By Ryan Hall

Q: You do long marathon buildups with relatively few races. The marathon also requires lots of long training runs. What do you primarily think about during these long months and long runs?

A: Do you want the encyclopedia or the "Cliff Notes" version? I think about lots of different stuff. What has been different in this buildup is that for the last three months there has been a theme for each month. For the first month the theme was "fire." Fire in the sense of passion and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Then it wings. We see bald eagles out here from time to time and they always get me fired up to feel the pleasure of flying when I run. I like to picture myself soaring in the windstream of God's wings when I run. The last month has been "joy." I have just been really enjoying my training, Mammoth, friends, our church, just life in general for the last three months. Recently, I have just been basking in that joy in the same way that my Dog basks in the warm sun that shines through uor window on a cold winter day. I am not wishing away any days, I am just loving each moment as they come.

My first impression here is wow, did this come from TwoAngryRunners? My second thought is wow, really original question. Let me ask a distance runner what he or she thinks about while they're running. I hope someone asks me this question because here would be my answer:

A: Wow, great question. What do I think about while I run? Shit. I literally think about shit, literally. I obsess about it. I think about ones that I took and the next one I'm going to take. I think about shits yet to come, yet to even be brewed in my intestinal tract. I think about where I'm going to take my next one, and can I even make it that far. I think 'did I bring toilet paper, or are there some big leafy trees nearby'. Maybe even a little stream so that I can wash my hands. And also take a sip of water. And if I don't have feces on the brain, I try and get deep and ask real questions, like who are the farmers that wrote this almanac, and why do we follow it more than we follow the Bible?

Also, did you know that apparently Brennan is a girl's name? At least on this show 'Bones'. Sweet.

5 comments:

alyssa said...

Brennan boned a girl? What?



The full article on RH can be found here: http://dailynews.runnersworld.com/2009/04/a-brief-chat-with-ryan-hall.html

There were too many other good quotes to pick from.

RM said...

I don't watch this show Bones, but I read an article about it today and apparently there is a female character named Brennan. Awesome!

Rebs said...

i shudder at these Ryan Hall interviews...creepy. I THINK I read that he watches Passion for the Christ the night before races? wince....

gladfelter said...

I wouldn't jones on religion. Judgement day sounds long and painful; Goodness knows mine will be shitty

Andy G said...

God has wings? Does he have arms too or are his wings like an eagle's? And if he is flying around with those wings, has he ever pooped on anyone's head?