analog

my initial attraction to running off-road was fueled by the easy vibe around it and the community. dig, we still ran roads, but mostly to balance out what the goals were off-road. the relationship with the terrain and sharing the challenge with friends in a time when flow was the goal and completion was celebrated as equally as speed was. analog training logs and analog timing. looking up to take in the views and listening to the water flow versus looking at gps watches and being driven by external data. eating when we were hungry and drinking when we were thirsty. the balance offered a sustainability and built love instead of what i'm seeing so much of now. burnout in exchange for a short stint of attention before unrealized expectations murder the vibe and folks go looking elsewhere for those kudos. step back. look up. 

fully present and aware of how this has changed, i'm grateful to have experienced this early vibe and that it is the foundation of my love for running trails and built on those experiences as i now stand aside and watch the sport in it's current growth spurt based upon high fuel, data and carbon fiber plates. it's a cycle, like so many others that have come and gone, so it goes...

vecchia gloria

experience, opinions and unsolicited advice 

i actually love when people admit their desires, their competitiveness, their want to win. its accountable. win or lose, you come out knowing who you are. let me burn amongst this heat. 

kindness is not weakness, but just taking shit is. it’s good to be kind… but don’t let anybody step all over you. walk away and clear that energy.

you can do most things you want if you are willing enough to try and strong enough to not care what anyone thinks of it.

the things about you that someone hates will be the same things that someone else loves. anything can show value among the right collectors.

confidence comes from proving yourself to yourself. putting yourself into tough situations, dealing and seeing where it takes you. it doesn’t thrive or grow by living in your comfort zone.

people judge you by your actions. you judge yourself by your intentions. remember that.

being right means the other person is wrong and not every situation has a right and wrong. stop trying to be right and start trying to understand where the common ground is. you can either be right or you can be happy. you rarely get to be both.

being healthy and strong will outlast being fast. take your shot while it's in front of you, then pivot and evolve. be honest with yourself in this process.  time waits for nobody. 

where else can we do this?