How old is too old? It obviously depends on what we're talking about. Is it fair for the government to set an arbitrary age limit on issuing drivers license? It depends on the individual. Some people have passed the point of being a safe driver while they're in their early seventies, while others may still do okay at age one hundred. I guess the best scenario would be for each person to realize on their own accord that he or she has reached that stage of life, although I believe it will be a sad day for me if I ever have to come to that conclusion about myself. There are countless other areas where age becomes a factor in how well an individual can perform, and sometimes it's a decision that the person can decide for himself, and other times that decision has to be made by others.
It's hard for me to get my arms around the fact that I will be turning sixty years old next summer, and as bad as I hate to admit it, I can feel the effects of aging on many of my activities. One of those activities that seems to become more of a challenge with each passing year is the ability to run a marathon (26.2 miles). But, just for the record, I'm not giving up yet. In fact, by the time that many of you read this, Angie and I, along with several of our good friends, will be on board a Southwest Airlines flight en route to Minneapolis to try it one more time. If I can complete this one, it will be my tenth time to achieve that goal.
I remember so well after I had completed my first one that I said, "I ran this marathon because for a long time I've wondered if I could do it. Now I don't have to wonder any more...I did it!" Eventually, there will come a time when I'll have to face the fact that I've passed the stage of my life where I can run 26.2 miles, but even then I just can't see me stopping. More than likely what will happen is I will just lose that desire. Now that I think about it, I think that may be the way elderly people make the decision to discontinue many of the things that used to get their blood pumping. Hopefully, when that time comes for me, I'll just pull back slowly and begin to run half-marathons instead.
As of right now, I still have the desire...if for no other reason than to just prove that I can still do it. I have no illusions that my completion time will be anywhere near as fast as it was eight years ago in Chicago when I ran my first one, but it will be my fastest time since I've turned fifty-nine,whatever it is. Believe me, ladies and gentlemen, this is a challenge, but it's one that I believe I'm ready for. So this Sunday, October 3, at 8:15 AM CDT, please think about my friends and me and say a little prayer as we begin this journey one more time.
Oh, and let me add one more thing...regardless of how I do on this attempt, I don't expect it to be my last.
Preston
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