I have a confession to make (oh oh): I have never watched “The Wizard of Oz”! There, I said it! I know, I KNOW it is a classic, but when it comes to classics I am not exactly up to date. I have never watched “A Wonderful Life” either. And after years of being nagged and made fun of about it, I was finally talked into watching “The Sound of Music” one rainy day. By the end I was pulling out my hair one by one! The fact that this is such a much beloved movie is completely lost on me. The family is nothing short of annoying, so much so that when they were all hiding to escape the Nazis I yelled “They are behind the wall, German Commandants” at the television. And who breaks into song at any given random moment while running down an Austrian hillside? Especially if you are a nanny! Let me just say that I talk from experience when I am telling you that no nanny has time for such antics, especially a nanny who has to look after seven kids, no matter how disciplined these kids are. Even in Austria!

And it’s not that I don’t like classic movies in general. “Casablanca” anyone? Or any movie with Audrey Hephurn! Maybe it’s a singing that makes me want to run for the hills (pun intended!) which might explain why I am not a fan of musicals in general.

If by now you are asking yourself what all this has to do with the theme up above*, let me explain: in today’s Runners Lounge Melanie, the Tall Mom on the Run, is asking the following question:

Scarecrow asked for a Brain, Tin Man for a Heart, and Lion for Courage.  If you could meet the Wizard of Running and ask for anything, what would it be?

When your wish was granted, how would your travels down the Yellow Brick Road of running be different?

Imagine my dismay!

I am just grateful that Melanie actually gives a summary of “The Wizard of Oz”, no matter how short, before posting her question. Otherwise I might have missed this week’s TIaRT (GASP! Have I mentioned I am OCD?) as my love for running might have actually found its limits: I was not going to watch that movie!!!

Had I the pleasure of ever meeting the Wizard or any Wizard these are the things I would ask for as a runner:

Speed: this might go without saying but I have yet to meet a runner who would not want to improve their speed. If I could have it my way I would be able to run 5:30 minute miles and be able to hold that pace for 26.2 miles! I could make running my profession and truly do what I love for a living. The awesomeness would be beyond anything I can even imagine and the possibilities would be endless. My life would play itself out around races on all seven continents (although I might give Antarctica a miss, but maybe not) and countless countries. I would be able to mingle with the sport’s bests: Kastor, Goucher, Radcliffe, Tergat, Hall, to name a few. At the start of my last marathon I was lucky enough to start from the first corral which gave me a chance to rub elbows with the elite male runners, and let me just say that it was certainly a treat that made my day!

(extreme) Endurance: this also goes without saying, but how great would it be to be able to run like this guy? Just imagine that all you do is run all day! And on race day, instead of driving yourself there you run to the start, even if the start is 20 miles away. Then you run the race, preferably a marathon, and after you cross the finish line you just run back home. When Dean ran 350 miles non stop in 80 hours and 44 minutes he consumed approximately 40,000!!! calories worth of food and drank nine gallons of liquid. Numbers that make anyone’s head spin. One can be known or famous for many things, but as an athlete being known as the fittest person in the world is certainly a dream come true.

the ability to stop and smell the roses: I am one of those runners that gets completely lost in her run. I am literally comatose and the longer and more strenuous the run, the more I become unaware of my surroundings. I have been known to completely run by water stops, stops that I have put out!, during training runs, even when my friends set out dressed up bowling pins (don’t ask!) in the middle of the country road to give me a pointer… I understand that a lot of runners would wish for this ability to empty their minds while on a long distance run and I appreciate the therapeutic aspect of this meditation (and it is my meditation) but sometimes it would really be nice if I could take in my surroundings and enjoy the scenic journey. When I ran Boston I had made a conscious effort of being aware and actually managed to do so for most of the race. I had trained so hard to get there and really wanted to enjoy every moment of every mile. I loved it! And when I watched the race coverage that I had TiVo’d I actually remembered the route in detail. BUT, that was an exception as most of my runs are a blur. A blessing, but not in disguise and certainly not on every sunny day in the park!

Today’s Running Tip: Want to live like one of the elites?

2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deena Kastor and her husband, Andrew, rent out their “running” condo in Mammoth Lakes, California. It can be yours while you will be able to enjoy access to one of the most ideal spots for long distance runs on spectacular trails. Deena provides her guests with maps of running routes and souvenirs.  For more information, visit the following website:  http://www.vrbo.com/185669