Real David H.

I have no chance or desire to set a PR again. In addition to peaking with my speed a long time ago, I’m not paying a ton of money to enter a bunch of races again every year.

However, I do have other goals in mind to get into better shape and take better care of myself. It seems that I always do. Eventually, it’ll happen.

But it just didn’t happen this winter. I didn’t fully recover from tendonitis issues in the fall. I’ve had calf issues lately. I kept eating candy when I should’ve had an extra salad. I couldn’t get my long run to 10 miles.

I shouldn’t be doing the Blue Ridge Half Marathon this weekend. My former self from a decade ago would be screaming at this new me.

But you know what? I don’t care about what my former self would say. I also don’t care what others may think or say about going to Roanoke to run a couple of mountains when not all that long ago I couldn’t even run a quarter mile up my street.

I’m not totally untrained. Despite a lack of long running miles, I got at least 2-3 bike rides a week this winter. I lifted weights more than other training cycles. This isn’t a “I woke up one morning and decided to do something crazy today” moment.

Muscle memory and past experiences on this course will help, for sure.

This year’s Blue Ridge has become to me much more about carrying on a tradition. My sister and I can air our various grievances about things for a few hours in the car ride. There’s an amazing chicken salad sandwich to eat in Bedford.

There’s family to see and have an annual dinner with. There’s stories to be told about the past year. There are friends to catch up with – some for just a few minutes, others for much longer. There’s stuff to buy or pretend to want at the General Store.

There’s coffee to grab. There’s a ride up to the Mill Mountain Star to question my sanity and then to catch some amazing views.

Roanoke was never a place I called “home,” but it’s been a part of me my entire life. This race has been part of me since 2010. (Here are my recaps) I totally regret the years that I missed or thought I need a break. I don’t plan to miss another one.

There are so many memories to keep making.