It's 0425hrs in Pensacola, Florida and I'm about two hours from the start of the second of my ten marathon mission during the 10-12-100 Campaign. The skies are still dark, the streets are empty and the clouds are heavy with morning thunderstorms soon to arrive. It's in these dark moments of solitude that you're confronted with the most overwhelming since of self-effacing honesty; that point, where you can no longer hide or otherwise sidestep the truth. You simply can't fake a marathon.
It is in this honesty and humility that I had to take stock of myself, some 80 minutes ago when my feet hit the ground. The reality is this: in the three weeks since the ING Miami Marathon, I have not been able to train for two of the three weeks in between races, due to a severe sinus infection. Additionally, I have had a sore left achilles tendon and my stomach has been a mess for the last two days, which makes it difficult to handle hydration and caloric intake in view to a marathon. For those of you who have done a marathon before, that probably sounds like a recipe for disaster; any one of those things--let alone all of them in concert--would be enough to justify pulling the pin and taking a pass on this one. Ironically, the way I feel this morning is the perfect metaphor for this campaign and the underlying reason I took on this challenge: service in the face of obstacles and opposition. That's what these young service men and women did and they did so knowing precisely what the cost might be for their patriotism and yet they did it nonetheless.
While I would never conflate one, two or ten marathons with that of service to our country, I do find strength in moments of potential weakness, when I think about the strength and unflinching bravery displayed by our young troops. In that context, the stomach, head and achilles just don't seem that bad.
As I sit at my laptop in an otherwise dark hotel room, I can't help but replay a movie I saw earlier this week. On Tuesday evening, I was fortunate enough to attend an MPAA screening of "Taking Chance" which is an HBO movie (debuting Sat. Feb. 21 at 8pm) starring Kevin Bacon. This true story chronicles Marine Lt. Col. Mike Stroebl, who volunteered to escorted the body of fallen Marine Pvt. Chance Phelps, who died during a convoy ambush in Iraq. In attendance were current and former Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Marines, as well as members of Congress, Bacon and the media. As the end credits rolled on this 90 minute film, nobody moved. Every single credit rolled. Senior military officers, in full dress uniform, were subtly wiping their eyes and steeling their reserve. A roaring ovation when the screen finally faded to black. To say it was moving, would be a dramatic understatement. Much like the 10-12 campaign, "Taking Chance" shines a light on what happens when our soldiers come home.
In that, I am reminded of just how fortunate I am to be an American citizen and to enjoy the liberties and opportunities--provided for and defended by our men and women in uniform. In just a short time, on a rainy, hilly course, I will have three short hours to give something back to those who have given so much to me.
"When one falls. Another brings him home."
-Taking Chance
www.hbo.com/films/takingchance/video/video.html
Doug Eldridge
President
DLE Sports
