TITLE: Gonna Fly Now
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: October 24, 2007 11:24 AM
DESC: 
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BODY:
5:00 AM on a chilly autumn morning.  A crystal clear sky
filled with more stars than the eye can take in.  A lone
runner moves through the empty streets of a sleeping city,
with only a hooded sweatshirt as protection against the
intermittent gusts of wind.

As I completed my final training run this morning, my
overly romantic subconscious felt like
<A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADM_Ak3GTg">
   Rocky</A>
-- I half-expected to hear Bill Conti's theme rise over
the trees of South Riverside Trail.  Of course, Rocky ran
against the backdrop of a blue-collar metropolis waking
for another work day, among a people who placed great
hope in one of their own to rise from the streets in
victory.  When I finished running, I headed off to my
office for a day of mail, meetings, and a comfortable
chair.

Rocky faced the challenge of Apollo Creed, who put on a
cloak of transparent patriotism as America's hero.  My
challenge, the
<A HREF="http://www.marinemarathon.com/">
   Marine Corps Marathon</A>,
offers a background of patriotism and pride, but an
authentic pride borne of sacrifice my men and women who
endure challenges that dwarf my 26.2 miles.

Rocky looked into the unknown as he prepared for a world
championship fight, but this is my fourth marathon.  I
know the challenge.  I have had some successes, and I've
come up short of expectations.  Each race is an unknown,
but we understand some unknowns better than others.

I cannot in good conscience compare my clich&eacute;-riddled
state of mind to Rocky's quiet desperation that his life
could be more -- that he could be more.  But on those
mornings filled with long and solitary miles, we share
something of a bond, along with countless others who
challenge themselves to approach their limits.  I, for
one, enjoy it all -- the planning, the training miles,
the race strategy, and lining up to see how far I can go.
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