Dirt Dog Is Here!!!

Alex Samarin

"I love cross-country... on the track I feel like a hamster."

- Robin Williams

The start and end of any race are the same as every other. As I'm writing this, I'm northbound on a flight to San Jose.Tomorrow, a drive to Bodega Bay - and the next day, Humboldt. I'm accompanied by three friends and teammates on the San Diego Track Club: Charlie Gamble, Brian Valentini, and Bob James. Sunday we'll run the Humboldt Bay Marathon. We're shooting for a Boston Qualifier and although I've put in the long runs, I don't feel completely ready.

It's my first marathon, and Charlie's too.  Brian and Bob are seasoned and reassure us that it will be an "easy long run"... right. Though I'm a lifelong runner, my training and races have usually been geared toward shorter track and cross-country races, with the occasional 20-miler always being a mistake. The marathon training cyle has been a great experience that made me realize why a team is important. I couldn't do it myself.

A lot of you probably came to the Track Club through our marathon training program. You may or may not miss it, but I'm sure the marathon was something you are glad to have done.

I've decided that it's a little crazy since I really only started training two months ago. And again, that's why this start line is the same as every other. In my mind I'm not as prepared as I should be, but there's never a good time to tackle a new challenge. It will without a

doubt stretch my limits because it's something new that I haven't done before. And it's very close to the opening of our cross-country season (legs need time to heal!), so let me tell you a bit about that.

I'll start with a riddle:

There is a line on the grass in Balboa Park, and not everyone knows where it is. 

It doesn't divide lanes of traffic, or countries, or come at the end of a complex math problem.

It is a simple line. It is not particularly wide and no banner is strung along its short length. 

Unlike most lines, it doesn't separate; it brings together.

Though it has been there a long time, most days you can't find it - the line just isn't there.

You'll cross it going one way, but not the other. On one day a year if you know where it is, then you've earned         it -though in getting there you might fall apart. 

What is it?  

In this case, I'm talking about the start line of the Balboa Park 4-miler. But remember how I began: "the start and end of any race is the same as every other."  As I approach the start of my first marathon, let me encourage you to try something new and check out the Balboa 4-miler.  It's a race that the Track Club organizes, and it's part of the Dirt Dog cross-country series.  You may be looking for a new challenge, but you might not be sure that this should be it. Let me reassure you - you've been there before.  You may not have heard about the hills "Zig-zag" or "Powder", but I'm sure they're no worse than a marathon. At least I hope they aren't!

Whether it's at the end of 26.2 or after 4 miles and 3 hills, in the end we'll have crossed another line: difficulties overcome, lessons learned, decisions made. And that's how I approach every race, every new challenge - tackle it, and decide after if you should have done it.

See you at the finish.

-By Alex Samarin