A SORT OF A HOMECOMING.
I STILL NEED TO WRITE THE REST OF THE NEBRASKA REPORT BUT WANT TO GIVE THIS SPECIAL UPDATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
On Tuesday night I stayed in McCook, Nebraska with family I met coming out of Walmarts that morning. They went home, checked out the site. Later Angela texted me to say her two boys Isaac, 14 and Nolan 12 would like to come out and run with me. So the boys came out and I had a nice run of about 9 miles with them and a break from pushing Nirvana. They offered to put me up for the night after my run (more on this in the Nebraska update) returning me to mile marker 59, my finishing spot on Wednesday morning. I put in a big effort. running 61km/ 38 miles. I had gotten yet another late start and made a couple of long stops on the road. As route 34 was very quiet I lit up well and did a bit of night running. So at mile marker 21 I pulled off the road out of view of the highway. Pulled out my tarp and sleeping bag. It was a beautiful starry night, even if a bit chilly. 21 miles to the Colorado state line – that will be nice and handy tomorrow I thought. I am in the middle of nowhere as its 14 miles to Haigler and brunch, so no time wasting here over breakfast!
Well I did dine on half a litre of cappuccino out of my thermos and a few donuts. A few minutes later I was on the road. For once I had a nice tailwind and I enjoyed the run as Nirvana was moving nicely along the quiet route 34west. I just had to give her the occasional prod ever 20 seconds and she would roll along nice and swiftly up and down those nice gentle hills on the western Nebraska prairies. I wish it were this easy all the time! I felt no aches or pains either from my late night run. Things were just nice and perfect for my ‘ homecoming. ‘
Regular followers of this blog will be aware of my deep love for Colorado. I lived there from 1994 to 2002. I only returned to Ireland when I got a plantar fasciitis injury and just never returned to the centennial state. In fact today is the eve of the 17th anniversary I emigrated there. Just like an old love, I have never stopped loving her! It was here where I turned from marathon and 10km runner to trail runner and in Lake City, Colorado where I discovered ultra or extreme running.. My life has never been the same since.
I remember when i got my green card back then and I had to make up my mind wher to live. Being an outdoors enthuaist it was only ever going to be Alaska, Montana or Colorado. I had visited none of them before but knew they were all wonderful places.
then I remembered the wonderful time I had in the Canadian Rockies during my world bicycle trip in 1979 and decided it had to be Montana or Colorado. I think some of those John Denver songs were giving me subliminal messages, so Colorado won out on a wim and what a whim, one of the best decisions of my life.
So now I am nearly ‘ home.’
A sort of a home coming, my spiritual home.
There was a spring in my step all morning and after lunch in Haigler I had only 11km / 7 miles. I just can’t believe this is happening. Tomorrow will make it 5 months on the road from Dublin.
I can honestly say those 7 miles were the easiest miles of the entire run so far. I just flew along and Nirvana probably sensed my excitement.
I even said out loud… ‘ Have you been here in a past life too, old buddy! ‘
A couple of weeks ago I bought a pair of small speakers that I plug into my ipod. They are nice and neat and I slip them under a bungee cord. Sometimes when there is no traffic its like a rolling rock’ n roll machine!
Today I was playing the tracks marked ‘ Tony’s Running Songs. ‘
Born to Run, Running down a dream.
An old favourite, Dont Stop Me Now. Yes I played that in the last mile of my second world 24 hour treadmill record attempt. I thought I broke it in April 2003 until I discovered an English runner had run one mile more in his attempt 2 weeks earlier. So when I went for it again at the Dublin expo I had my crew man play that song as I ran past the Englishman’s extra mile!
I have another special song. Lindisfarnes ‘ Run For Home ‘ PLAY I will play that at the state line. That song is my anthem. I have always played it before and at the end of my 3 world treadmill attempts and will especially request it as I run around the last bend of the world run in the Dublin Marathon a couple of minutes before 2 pm on October 28th 2013.
So you see how important Colorado is to me, more important than running into Machu Pichu in Peru or even reaching Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America.
So I ran down those last few miles towards the state line. It was easier than this morning. I have a homemade Colorado flag that the family in McCook made for me. I will need to stop a car at the state line so as to be photographed. About a mile before I spotted a young farmhand driving his tractor off the road and he was getting into his pickup.
I rushed in through the gate and said.
” This is the most bizarre request anyone has ever asked of you! ”
His name is Chance, about 30 years old and he said.
” I have had a few bizarre requests in my time so please try me! ”
So I told Chance. I just had to tape the flag pole onto the flag and gave it to him to do as it was windy outside.
THANK YOU CHANCE
Chance said he would drive down to the Colorado welcome sign when he attended to a quick heifer errand!
BACK IN COLORADO
When I got to the line Chance was waiting for me. Just as a BNCF train driver went by with about 100 carriages. I had gotten to know the train drivers, well from a distance anyway. I would wave at them as they passed several times a day. Often they came up behind me and hooted me out of it! I am sure they have wondered over the last two weeks what I am up to.
I played Run For Home a couple of times as Chance took a few photos of me beside the welcome to Colorado sign and then kissing the ground! I nearly kissed Nebraska’s ground by mistake in my excitement! Then I had Chance shoot video.
BACK IN GODS COUNTRY!
He said its too bad I wasn’t an hour later as we could have a beer!
Not loosing an opportunity I asked him if he knew of anyone in Wray, Colorado a two hour run away. He said he didn’t but I would be welcome to go back and stay on his farm…. Back in Nebraska! I thanked him but said I didn’t want to go through the same thing again and would run on.
So in many ways I feel back home… A sort of a home coming.
March 25th, 2011 at 4:07 am
“im burnin through the skyyyeah, two hundred degrees, thats why they call me mister Fahrenheit, im travelin at the speed of liiiiight”
happy for you man.
March 25th, 2011 at 11:58 am
Keep her lit Tony, spreading the good word of your adventure here with my running buddies… best wishes
Ralph
March 25th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Its great catching up on your blog and this entry in particular was a treat. Keep on running, keep on smiling. The Wicklow way ultra is tomorrow. It misses you
March 26th, 2011 at 12:09 am
Another great read Tony, love the photos of your special return to Colorado and glad to see you got the flag you wanted. Take care Ann
March 26th, 2011 at 2:03 am
Tony, Was great meeting you tonight at the SubWay in Yuma Colorado. Your adventure is a great story and inspiring. Not many would have enough balls to live out their dream, especially one as demanding and hardcore as yours. Listening to you talk tonight about how excited you were when you were coming into Colorado reminded me of a line from my favorite book “On the Road” that I’ll post at the end. I wish you luck and safe travels, and hope you can accomplish your goal of running around the world. I look forward to reading your blog and tracking your progress.
Best Wishes!
Josh
And there in the blue air I saw for the first time, far off, the great snowy tops of the Rocky Mountains. I took a deep breath. I had to get to Denver at once. …I crossed a railroad overpass and reached a bunch of shacks where two highways forked off, both for Denver. I took the one nearest the mountains so I could look at them,… And here I am in Colorado! I kept thinking gleefully. Damn! damn! damn! I’m making it!
J.K.
March 26th, 2011 at 2:31 am
So very happy to see you made it to your beloved Colorado! We all feel blessed to have met you and shared a bit in your adventurous dream. Nolan didn’t get a turkey but had a wonderful experience with his dad. Leaving for Kansas tomorrow. I hope you enjoy every moment you have in Colorado. Godspeed, Angela and family
March 26th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Congrats Tony,
Great blog entry. Enjoy your time in Colorado!
Katheryn
March 27th, 2011 at 1:20 am
Thank you so much Angela for all your help and also to the family. It was lovely meeting you all and running with the boys. Have a nice trip back to Kansas. It was so generous of you all for sharing your spring break vacation quality time with your folks with me.
March 27th, 2011 at 7:23 pm
tony,
we are happy to see you have made it to CO! stephanie arrived there over the weekend as well.
what a story you are telling! so glad to see that you are still well and have not lost your appetite!
we, too, are impressed with how many folks are willing to help you and we are ASHAMED of those americans that are not willing!
keep on keeping on, our irish friend!
jerry and nancy
March 28th, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Good man Tony – five months have flown by.