The overall winner of last year's McKay Hollow Madness was David O'Keefe. He won by well over five minutes!!
I have the pleasure of knowing David and have been trying to casually ask him questions about his race strategy without making it seem I am pumping him for information. But, he's one of those, "I just go out and run as hard as I can" kind of people who make it seem so easy. Like there's no planning involved or necessary...just RUN. ((Now, I don't know if that's really how he thinks because I've never come out and asked him...but that's my impression anyway.))
So the other day while running trails, trying to familiarize myself with the course, among the mantras of "I am a billy goat. I am a hurdler." and "I CAN. I WILL" I also found myself repeating (more times than I really care to admit), "I am David O'Keefe!!"
I felt like I was really saying (pause the music and press play)
Amazingly enough, just saying it made me feel like I was running faster!! Like I said in yesterday's post, I don't believe in mantras. And, let me be very clear, I don't really believe I'm bat...I mean David O'Keefe. I didn't fall and hit my head...
To me, "I am David O'Keefe" isn't about winning the race...Again, I have no delusions of winning McKay (even female masters) (this year...). It's about much more than that. David is a genuinely good person who loves the Lord. He works hard at everything he does, whether that's his job, leading Bible study, being a husband and father, mission work, or running.
"I am David O'Keefe" is a representative conglomeration of ideas I'm coming to believe about myself. The idea I really can run faster and stronger than I have in the past...the idea I can run with more confidence...the idea I can run in such a way someone else might look at me and think "You make it look easy"...the idea running can be a part of who I am but not take away from who I am in Christ.
There's no doubt in my mind I'll use this phrase again during the race, but don't expect to see THIS David O'Keefe at the finish line around the 2 hour time window...I'll be a hurdling billy goat muttering under my breath, "I CAN. I WILL." about the time the real David O'Keefe is getting his award!
Thanks for stopping in...come again soon! :D
David is a good person and a fine athlete. Last year he had but one early season goal and that was to win in the Hollow. Some would argue that he had a plan, but I think he just ran the best race he could and in the end, he was victorious. I am glad to know him and to compete with him, albeit if I finish in front of behind him.
ReplyDeleteGo Dana!! Awesome post. David is a rock-star and you are too!! I plan to be there cheering you both on.
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