A glimpse into the heart of the man...

The morning Mark Allison set off on his run, I had the pleasure of meeting Alan Millen who happens to be a songwriter for the Exiles. I was very excited about this because #1, I've always been a big fan of the Exiles and #2, I had purchased both of the songs they wrote for Run Geordie Run off iTunes. They wrote two songs for Mark. One is titled “Runner On a Lonely Road” and the other is “Beneath the Angel's Wings Once More”.

Later that day, I was providing support for Mark via a rental car and as I watched him climb the hills of La Hacienda what should pop up on my iPod but “Runner On a Lonely Road”. Now granted, this happens to be one of my favorite songs and is saved on a list as such in my music library but the irony of the moment was not lost on me. I snapped this photo with that song playing in the background. As I listened to the lyrics (provided below) and watched Mark run, I was lost in one of those rare occasions of hearing the perfect song at just the right moment. Alan and his partner, Tim Readman, seem to have found a way into Mark's soul and mind and translated it into music. The song provides us mere mortals with a non-invasive way of being able to experience what it is like to be Mark Allison for a day... minus the blisters and sore calves, of course

Runner on a Lonely Road / Beneath the Angel's Wings Once More can be downloaded from
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/run-geordie-run-single/id361829604 .All proceeds go to the two charities. 

Runner on a Lonely Road

Who knows what lies ahead for me on my way to the finish line?
The road may twist and the road may bend
But I’ll keep going till I reach the end
I’m a runner on a lonely road

Peaks and valleys, rivers to cross On my way to the finish line
Let the hard rain fall, let the cruel wind blow
Let me bear the torch, let me face the foe
I’m a runner on a lonely road

I might grow weary, I might grow weak
I might bend but I will not break
I’ll go another mile for the magpie clan
And I’ll go another mile for those mates of mine
And I’ll go another mile for the ones I love
In the darkest night I’ll see a bright light shine

Who knows what trials will come my way
On the miles to the finish line
The road may bend and the road may twist
I’ll dig deeper, I’ll clench my fist
I’m a runner on a lonely road

Sand and cactus, dry as bone
On my way to the finish line
Let the sun beat down, Let it scorch my face
Let me sweat and toil, ‘til I run this race I’m a runner on a lonely road

I might grow weary I might grow weak
I might bend but I will not break
And there’s another mile for loved ones gone
And one for the stars and the man in the moon
And there’s another mile for my heart’s delight
And there’s another mile for the Tyne and Toon
Runner on a lonely road

A changing perspective

I know what it is like to force yourself to put one foot in front of the other when all you want to do is stop. I know what it is like to have people publicity vocalize their doubt that you can accomplish your goal. I know what it is like to sacrifice time with my kids and my family. I know what it is like to not have a social life and to be okay with that because my thoughts are obsessed by my drive to succeed.

I know all about grueling journeys.

I have spent the last 6 years trying to earn a college degree. I entered the world of academia as a non-traditional student and endured the smirks of much younger students and the disdain of my generation who cannot imagine why in the world I would want to attempt such a thing.

I've always had a drive to exceed others expectations of me. I am not a perfectionist but I do believe that if we fail to push ourselves, we will miss opportunities for greatness. I think the thing that keeps that fire burning is to surround ourselves with like-minded people that serve as our examples and/or mentors.

That is what I have in Mark Allison. When I first met him, I was struck by how down-to-earth he really is. And how ordinary he seemed. You see, I had put Mark on a pedestal, where gods and heroes belong. And while there is nothing wrong with a l'il “hero worship”, it does tend to make that individual a little hard to relate to. I would read about his 3 day marathon and tell myself to suck it up. I felt bad about not being as tough as he is.

And then I met him... and I discovered he is very human. I watched him order a juicy hamburger and enjoy every second of it. Then I watched him do it again the next day. This time he made the choice to order a salad instead of fries as his side item but that didn't stop him from stealing some of mine. I watched him fight his nervousness when we entered a ward of sick children. I could tell the father in him wanted to run away from such sad images. I watched him struggle with dehydration and heard his yells as he soaked his feet in ice water for the first time after he finished on day one. I heard him bare his soul to a fellow traveler as he attempted to make sense of his own drive to run across the country.

For me, Mark lost his superhero status.... and that makes me happy.

He is still one of my hero's. I still look up to and admire him. But he is no longer on a pedestal where I can't reach him. Instead, he is by my side giving me words of encouragement and expressing gratitude for the littlest things. He is quick with a smile and a joke. He is genuinely concerned about my feelings . I can tell my happiness is important to him.

What this revelation of Mark's mortality has done for me is provide me with a new vision about my own future. You see, I don't have to be a superhero. I don't have to be perfect. I don't even have to achieve all my goals. The lessons I have learned from Mark are pretty simple. I do have to try. I have to do the best I can everyday and then be humble enough to know my limitations. I have to take the time to enjoy the scenery along life's road because otherwise, the journey was a waste.

If Mark can make himself get up every day and run as far as he can, then I can make myself get up every day and study while riding in the RV. If he can cross the finish line in NYC in August, then I can cross that stage in Witherspoon Hall in December.

Mark isn't Superman. He's an example of how a mere human can accomplish his dreams through determination and will power. Mark is a mentor. And that is exactly what we need in this world.

For more information about Mark and his run, go to www.rungeordierun.com