Run

11 Sept

Run: 11.4 mi
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Run--I wanted to run at marathon pace, but my legs were a bit too sore and my stomach was on the fritz. Instead of bagging the run altogether, I decided to take it easy and enjoy the drizzly weather. The pace was 8:50/mi, which wasn't too bad I suppose. I hope the stomach problem is solved.

Story--Lots of talk today was about where we all were when we learned what happened in New York, DC and PA on this day 5 years ago. My story is short but simple. I was a freshman cadet (AKA 'four degree') at the Air Force Academy, just starting the academic year. Like most people, we thought some Cessna or some prop-job crashed into something. Throughout the day more and more information was exposed. The base went under lock-down, which meant nothing to me. As a lowly four degree I was stuck there anyway. We were told that in spite of everything going on, we were to go about our daily lives as scheduled. An integral part of a four degree's life was 'running the strips,' these beautiful marble strips all along the cadet area like a huge grid. We weren't allowed to walk anywhere! I just remember running around in my boots and BDU's, bookbag in my left hand, trying to make sense of why a former music performance major ended up at the Air Force Academy and how our lives changed completely in a matter of minutes. Running still brings back those memories of my cadet days (they weren't that long ago). Running seems to magically clear the doubt, reveal the underlying meaning of situations. I have never been more proud to be a member of the greatest Air Force in the world.

US Air Force Academy Marathon Club, Marine Corps Marathon 2004 (Steph bottom left)

US Military Academy, West Point Marathon Team, Richmond Marathon 2003
(Steph front center, semester exchange program)