CONTINUE TO BE 'SUPER'

During the AFC championship game between the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos, which was played at an altitude of 5,280 feet , two weeks ago, in Denver, I received a series of text messages from a running friend of many years (who shall remain nameless) musing over the fact that some of these overpaid athletes, young men in their 20s, for the most part, were having a hard time running up and down the field. They had difficulty running 50 or 60 yards before they were gassed. Hands on their hips, gasping for the thin Colorado air.

Don't get me wrong. Professional football players are extraordinary physical specimens. To get hit by a 260-pound linebacker, traveling at under 5-seconds per 40 yards would not pleasant. It would be like getting hit by a small vehicle.

But, come on. These guys get paid millions upon millions of dollars, and we run 5Ks, half marathons, and marathons.

Professional football players train long hours.

We train for longer hours.

Football players, at the professional level, benefit from the most modern training facilities.

We train outside in the rain, snow, wind and heat.

People pay astronomical amounts to watch an NFL game.

We pay astronomical entry fees to run races.

And, tomorrow, the world virtually stops because it's Super Bowl Sunday.

But we don't.

Some of you will run a race.

Almost all of you will turn in a training run. Some of those runs may last as long as the Super Bowl. (minus the commercials)

Tomorrow evening, as you consume the nachos and chicken wings, you will probably have burned a thousand calories or so.

Pretty super!

The Super Bowl is cool. I'll be glued to the television. The game should be good, the commercials well be great.

But runners and running?

Now, that's super!

Continue to be super.

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