Vienna Waits For You
A pre-race rumination, and a song on Repeat
Slow down, you crazy child
You’re so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you’re so smart
Tell me why are you still so afraid? Mm
Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about?
You’d better cool it off before you burn it out
You’ve got so much to do
And only so many hours in a day, hey, hey…. a.
But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You’re gonna kick off before you even get halfway through, ooh
When will you realize Vienna waits for you?
(Song and Lyrics by Billy Joel “Vienna Waits for You”, Nov. 29, 1977)
On Saturday (11/8), I am running in the USATF 50 mile championship. This year, it is being held at the Tunnel Hill Race series in Vienna, Illinois (pronounced VY-Anna, btw).
All told, there are five races occurring: a 100 mile, a 100K, a 50 Mile, the USATF 50 Mile, and a marathon. We’ll all start together, on a race course that’s flat and fast. How fast? well both the men’s and women’s world record for the 50 mile were set on this course, the men’s in 2023, was set by Charlie Lawrence, 4:48:21 (Jeezus!)
Last year’s women’s winner, Courtney Olsen, set the world record (5:31:56), and she’s back this year. So will a famous marathoner, Des Linden. Both are entered in the USATF 50 mile championship.
I was running with my friend Paul this past Monday, and he remarked: “In what other sport can you be on the same field or course with the world’s best?” None I can think of.
I have been working towards this race for the last 2 years. And for me it’s not just the USATF championship, it’s the chance once again try to beat my Age Group (65-69) record, set back in 1990 by Fred Nagalschmidt, 7 hours, 27 minutes and 10 seconds.
Am I confident? Sort of. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know really. You see, this will be my third shot at this. Fourth if you count my injury-DNF from Tunnel Hill last year. I am starting to think maybe this is hard, and why it hasn’t been broken for 35 years.
But maybe that’s what makes it worth doing, again. The attempt is the culmination of the work, but there are still no guarantees. Steve Magness is one my favorite authors and athlete’s, he just has a way to inspire me, and I’ll quote him :
So two years. 6200 miles. 900 hours of running. 600,000 calories. 40 pairs of shoes. Countless hours of support activities. Strength, mobility. Chiropractor, Massage therapy. In that time, sacrifices, injuries, learnings, doubts. But also joy, sweat, purpose, elation, experience, peace.
I’ll quote Steve again:
Back to Billy Joel, when asked about the meaning of the song title, and why it resonated with me now (besides the title matches the race city):
Why did I pick Vienna to use as a metaphor for the rest of your life? … So I go to visit my father in Vienna, I’m walking around this town and I see this old lady. She must have been about 90 years old and she is sweeping the street. I say to my father “What’s this nice old lady doing sweeping the street?” He says “She’s got a job, she feels useful, she’s happy, she’s making the street clean, she’s not put out to pasture”.
Joel has also explained the song is a reminder that:
You don’t have to squeeze your whole life into your 20s and 30s trying to make it, trying to achieve that American dream, getting in the rat race and killing yourself. You have a whole life to live. (NY Times, 2008)
So Saturday, I’ll run the race, the celebration of all the work. I’ll do it alongside the world’s best. I’ll have my lovely wife/partner/crew Robyn there to witness for me. What more could I really ask for? Bonne Chance! Maybe I’ll break the record, maybe I won’t.
So yeah, it’s a race, but it’s not the end. I am not going out to pasture, but I honestly don’t know what comes next, succeed or fail.
But then, I have a whole life to live, and I’ll just get to it, whatever “it” is.
Vienna Waits For You.
Run Marty run!
How exciting! Go for it! I’ve always loved that song too.