Of Mickey, Apollo, and Duke

Oh Mickey
You're so fine
You're so fine
You blow my mind
Hey Mickey!
-Toni Basil

Must be a different Mickey.  I had a conversation with my friend* and we were talking about those moments in a long run when you need to take a moment and regroup before you start running again.  He called these Rocky/Mickey moments.  Which is the exact right metaphor.  On my run today, I had several of these moments.  Early on, my mental Mickey inspired me to "eat lightning and crap thunder", which is amazing advice in all situations.  And it got me through miles 3,4, and 5 when I struggled through finding two water fountains that didn't work before finding a functioning one.  But then I needed a new message.  I tried my mental Apollo, but his constant "eye of the tiger, stallion" was not helpful even for a second.  And so, I moved on to Duke.  Duke and I had a pretty involved and intelligent conversation about how we were going to make it through the run.  The only option not on the table was quitting.  I considered running straight home, eating lunch, and then continuing the run.  I considered taking a cab home and doing the same thing.  I wished I had $6 with me so I could go to Smoothie King.  In the end, I just grinded it out with a couple of walk breaks and completed a very difficult 12 miles.  161 total for the year.

Now that I'm reading this, I wonder how I'll know when I'm hallucinating during a run.  It can't be much different than that. 

*Same friend as always.  Same one who has a lot to say and chooses not to blog.  And so I feel the need to ghostwrite for him.  Or the inverse of ghostwrite.  Whatever.