5x800

When I was a kid, I wanted nothing more than to compete in the Olympics as a swimmer. To this day, every Olympic swimming or running match I watch makes me cry big giant crocodile tears. For some reason the sheer glory of such accomplishment moves me to a weird nostalgic place.

I ran with Gilbert's Gazelle's this morning. Gilbert is an Olympic athlete who trains anyone and everyone to meet their full potential for a marathon. He is a genocide survivor, a Tutsi originally from Burundi where 250 of his high school classmates were burned alive by Hutus. He escaped, literally on fire, and somehow survived and managed to move to the US and become a NCAA champion. Running today, in the pitch black, oppressive 90 degree heat of the 5:45 morning, I felt invincible. I was in the slowest group, I nearly passed out, and yet I was exhilarated. I felt like an Olympic athlete and it was thrilling. For three minutes and thirty seconds.

I want to be in Austin.