DAN KELLER

Motorola Austin Marathon 2000

The first few tens of thousands of strides were nothing short of ecstasy. When running, there's nothing better than listening to the synergistic symphony of the hundreds of billions of cells in one's body, all synchronized to some mystical primal beat that rests deep within the human soul. "We are alive," they chant in unison in their language of joy. Then there's the pain, which I enjoy as one might an abusive lover, returning to her arms even when she treats me so wrong and slaps me so coldly. Sadly, around mile twenty tragedy struck-- an old knee injury revisited. "Water, Water," the volunteer H2O pushers cried at the way station. "Morphine," I gasped in reply. The symphony had deteriorated into a claxophony, mental concetration broken. My lover had spurned me again, but oh what bliss we had shared... I finished fifteen minutes shy of my PR, but time is not important. Every marathon is like a reincarnation, a lifetime condensed into three hours, and just as in life getting there is not important-- it's what happens along the way that matters.

-Dan Keller