NEMESIS

I assume every runner has a nemesis, probably more than one (I’m not sure what the plural of nemesis is). You know, those people who always seem to be around you in every race. You may not even know them, but you recognize their name. If they happen to be in your age-group, it stings a little more when they beat you.

For me, one such nemesis is Scott Ramberg. I’ve never met Scott, but he always seems to run the same races as I do and he always seems to be a little faster. And, of course, he’s in my age group – at least he was until he turned 40. So I’ll have a little over a year before joining him as a master.

Anyway, after awhile you’ll do anything (within reason) to beat one of your nemesis. Yet you don’t wish ill-will on them. So hearing that Scott recently had a work-place accident where he basically fell four stories and landed on his face was heart-wrenching. The good news is that he’s recovering at home and able to get in some biking indoors.

You can read his complete story HERE. Click on “Read Story” under “My Story” to read his wife’s description of the accident. You can also email Scott your well-wishes at rambe8 AT aol DOT com. Here’s to Scott getting back on his feet and back to knocking me down the age-group rankings next year.

On a brighter note, here’s one of my favorite photos I dug up recently. It’s my college cross country team doing a workout at Lowe’s Creek in Eau Claire, WI. It’s nice to remember what it’s like to be fit and ripped. Even though I’m the one in the back, I'm sure I was running a hell of a lot faster than any workouts I've done recently.

Quote of the day;

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain