Thanks to everyone who wrote me with their advice about whether or not I should run in this weekend's marathon/half marathon in Roanoke, VA. I've decided not to. Great achievements in life involve great risks. You take a risk when you run your first ultra. You risk getting tired. You risk hitting the wall. You risk not finishing the race. You risk injury. You risk making a fool of yourself. But the gain? Great achievement. Either way, what matters most is respect for yourself. Take responsibility for your actions. Like anything in life, running a marathon (or even a half) before running an ultra involves risk. How are we supposed to really live life to the fullest if we let the littlest things consume our thoughts? I can't and I won't live that way. However, I also think it's vitally important to be responsible. The weather this weekend is just going to be too hot, pure and simple. We all know that living is risky business. But we should never take unreasonable risks. A long race at elevation on a very hot day simply carries a higher risk level than I am comfortable with right now. So forego the race I will. We can't let risk stop us from doing what we love. But it's possible to put ourselves at too much risk.
Thanks to all who voiced an opinion and gave me their advice. For me, life has to be about continual growth, about continuing to improve, about learning, risking, GROWING. Yes, I am a type A personality. Yes, I am a risk taker. But I am also a father and a grandfather. I will not take unnecessary risks. Period.