The Need for the Great American Marathoner and Running Book Thoughts...

I won't be able to give a complete thought on it until I finish it but I want to start with this; Pre was an amazing person that changed the culture of running in America.  He is the type of American runner we need again!  Even though we have some amazing, hard working, great people that are ultra talented and I can only dream to run a marathon within an hour of what they can, there is something missing to make long distance running and running in general BIG again.  There is that honesty, that swagger, that brashness, that never settle attitude and that American born USA runner that is missing that Pre was.  Pre didn't want to just compete and be amongst the best, he wanted to be the best and he ran his races to where he gave it everything to be on top, not just on the medal stand.  Watching his race in 1972 Munich a few times, you see this.  He could have medaled if he sat back, instead he charged over and over again and it is amazing to see that strength.  Ryan Hall could be that type.  Heck, he was in a commercial that only runners knew who the hell he was.  The marathon is now the ultimate measuring stick for runners.  A great 5k/10k runner like Galen Rupp brought a slight blip to the national radar, but with so many people trying a marathon or half marathon for the first time, that is what the general population needs in America to get the buzz going.  The main problems I see preventing this:

• Americans aren't required to be on their feet as often as those other competitors, so they start behind already. 
• I believe genetics are an excuse after what I have done, but I believe the fact your upbringing and the lifestyle you live is contagious.  America is the most obese nation for a reason, too many places it is not a priority to be active.  I believe since 2010 that this trend is starting to make a turn.  More people are being inspired and making a change.  Back on task at hand: I think even though these are the most fit people in the world, they have been around a lifestyle that doesn't REQUIRE exercise like those strong Ethiopian and Kenyan runners. 
• They don't work together as much as the other countries blocking opponents or tiring opponents to sacrifice themselves for their fellow countryman.  Maybe this is changing a little, but I don't see it.

Here is what needs done to make running a national excitement and create a buzz that makes the front page of ESPN rather than just something that is noteworthy:

• It starts with Boston 2014.  A year after such a tragic event, the world's eyes and especially the great nation of The United States of America will be on Boston.  Ryan Hall, or some young gun that comes out of the woodworks,  gets completely healthy and declares he is going to win Boston.  He backs it up and does it in record time running it in under 2:03.
• Afterward he states that he will break the IAAF recognized mark within a calendar year.  ESPN starts covering his progression and he is given the money and backing by the U.S. Track and Field.  He does it and now the hype begins about when will the 2:00 hour marathon be next.
• The hype of the marathon gets so big that the 2016 Olympics in Rio is an absolute hype machine and featured amongst NBCs coverage.  The world record continues to be talked about because it has been broke by an American and then taken over again slightly by the Kenyans or Ethiopians.  USA has its best team and is set up to medal and perhaps challenge for gold.  Everything sets up for a perfect race and an American wins and sets marathon running into a national craze more than it already has become.

Yes, these are dreams but something as big as these events may be the next spark to make running an even cooler thing to do and get the attention needed to help make some of these runners get the pub deserved.  The USA Track and Field Championships did not get the viewership on TV or in the stands and that shows that people just don't care.  If we can get up for the Kentucky Derby and Preakness (and Belmont IF the first two legs are won by the same horse) and it be talked about on every update, why can't a human pushing the body beyond its limitations not get that same recognition at least once a year?

I have read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and Ultramarathon Man by Dean Karnazes and am currently into Pre by Tom Jordan about Steve Prefontaine.  I didn't start reading any of these books due to my Uncle Tim saying run your first marathon and then get bad thoughts in your head.  He was dead on.  After reading Born to Run and Ultramarathon Man I have had visions of running 100 miles with Tarahumara at Leadville or running in CA pulling myself down the road on my hands and knees but finding that last wind to get up and finish strong.

First I will say Dean Karnazes must be a wizard and have stolen Hermoine's time turner necklace.  I read about how he kicked ass in the business world, balanced family and ran 40-200 miles in a week and I look at my life and go, how do you pull that balancing act?  Next, I will say I enjoyed his stories.  I believe a few of them got Hollywooded from trying to have that finishing line that makes a movie or book captivating but it is amazing to hear of his accomplishments and hard work.  Ultramarathon Man is a book that you will hear some good stories from Dean and while it kept my interest for most of it I was ready for the end of the book.  I honestly have put his other books, 50/50 and RUN back on the shelf because I was more interested in reading about a guy I already know more about in Steve Prefontaine or read someone elses story.  Born to Run on the other hand I could have read another 50 chapters on human genetics, the Tamahara people and some of the ultramarathon events and people involved in them.

I read these books, read peoples blogs and read stories and have come to the conclusion, RUNNERS ARE INSANE.  They are at the edge of the definition of Insanity; doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  The thing that keeps runners from clinical is the fact they become educated and take the time to improve slightly thus barely keeping away from insanity.  They have recurring injuries; they go get poked and prodded and try everything on earth to get healthy.  They are just short of improving their time to qualify for Boston or reach a goal; they run further, they do all the little things to get quicker from losing even more weight (even though they are already too skinny for the general public) to core improvement to whatever it takes.

An insane person is in a state of mind that prevents normal perception, behavior, or social interaction.  Runners talk about their running, think about their next run, their past runs and future races.  Runners ignore injuries and go for a run that would keep the average person more sedentary than normal.  Runners are happy people but if they miss a run or something causes their schedule to get out of whack, it can get ugly. 

I don't want to give away everything from my book, to be released in the year 2020 (Said like Barbara Walters) titled Why Runners are Insane, but it will center around a clueless non-runner becoming an educated runner and the stories .  Note: This book is currently just a pipe dream but I enjoy writing and think I may be driven to ramble on more than a blog.  In the meantime I should probably accomplish something larger than losing 50 lbs and 1 marathon.)