Yesterday I was reminded of the fable
of “The Sword of Damocles”. The story goes that Damocles, a
member of Dionysius II's court, (4th Century Greece) was
given the chance to rule, all was well until he noticed a sword
hanging by a single horse hair directly over the throne. The
uncertainty of this life was too much to be borne and Damocles
willingly returned to his former life.
While not quite the same, I watched a
friend's dog get hit by a car as we relaxed following our
Snowy Cold Sunday morning Trail run. In an instant our jovial mood was transformed
with the shock of what had just happened. Don't worry, the dog is
fine.
Returning home I couldn't help but
recall how quickly my life changed twenty two months ago with a phone
call and those words, “Mike.... I'm sorry it's Cancer”.
Hoping that I might help prevent this
happening to someone else, or ......... , to give hope to another, I
have agreed to present a short speech at Mount Saint Mary's
University on Monday February 4th.
I think it would be easier just to run
a fifty kilometer race. It will be hard work in the coming days to find the right
words.
My first race of the year is now set,
The Terrapin Mountain 1/2 Marathon Trail Race on March 23ed.
Hopefully whatever this injury across my mid-section is will be
healed. In 2011 I was 46th out of 120 running a 2:50:12,
last year I was 14th out of 165 running a 2:28:05 which
perhaps was one of the finest runs I've ever done, two weeks after port removal surgery, ninety
days after intestinal reconnection, running with numb feet and hands.
How the heck did I this happen?
This race was right after we all found
out that Mom had Kidney Cancer, she was “With Me” the whole way,
inspiring me as always.
Mike
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