Greetings! I’ve had so many memorable moments as a runner. Being on the road at odd times allows for experiencing all manner of interesting life events. I recently posted about our stay at Stone Mountain. As noted on this site, I get up early in the morning. While staying in a yurt at Stone Mountain, I woke up and went to the campground pavilion to read and whatnot. A friendly black cat has taken up residence in the pavilion. Another fixture in the facility is a television that seems to be on all the time. While I was in there, a newscast reported the old archives building in downtown Atlanta would be imploded at 7:00 am.
I went about my other morning activities. Rather than starting breakfast, Shannan and I went to watch the demolition of the iconic building in real time. The destruction of the structure happened very quickly. We agreed experiencing the moment held value to us as lifelong Atlantans. Later while hiking around the mountain we talked about how the morning reminded us that in 2001 we had a reservation to camp the weekend of September 14, so I could run in the first of the Atlanta Track Club’s Grand Prix series Singleton races around the mountain. As you know, the events of that Tuesday, September 11, had a profound impact on all other activities that week. We refused to acquiesce to terrorism and stayed the course. The campground was not packed, for sure. At check in, the attendants offered campers a small American Flag. We like others placed the flag in an outward and obvious place on our little tent site.
The race happened as the Track Club, too, took a position of standing strong. A small group of folks showed up to run five and ten-mile races. It was surreal and moving all at once and by far one of the times I was very proud to be a runner.
Experience memorable moments. Run.
Tom
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