Fond Memories

I haven't been able to write about this until now and I feel a little guilty about the whole thing and the lack of respect I've shown. Last week, my IPod developed pneumonia, and it was very serious. I tried a little rest, hoping he'd dry out and recover ... I knew something was wrong as the little dially pad wasn't responding and although there was music, I couldn't pick the songs or select a playlist anymore.

On Tuesday, I attached IPod to the Mac life support and created a single playlist in order to give IPod a meaningful, although limited, life. After performing this last life saving procedure, I ejected IPod from the system ...... it seemed to work .... but after a minute the lights went out for the last time. I desperately tried CPR but it was all to no avail.

IPod died as a result of a thunderstorm and it couldn't have been a more fitting end. It was January 4 and my session started at 9:17 p.m. with a sharp tempo workout. After the warm up, I was pleased with the 4:19/km first 3K and I was heading into the wild Botanical Possum park after 10.5k when the black skies opened up. It wasn't hard rain .... no .... that would be too kind ..... it was like a vertical flood. I moved my IPod under my arm in a attempt to protect him and lifted the tempo of my run. I was "pounding" along with lightening and thunder erupting around me. My feet splashed through fast flowing rivers now flooding across the path. Now, IPod was spluttering through what was to be his final song .... it was the BIG LIVE guitar solos of AC/DC and couldn't have been a more poetic finale.

Today we rejoice, in what was a short yet highly valuable life. Ipod endured sweat, sun and torturous sessions leading into 4 marathons. I'll never forget my last long run before a marathon recently, my lovely crusted bread hating wife, crossed my path with only 3 km left on my run (she was heading in a different direction as she was running to a different schedule than myself)... she grinned and asked if I was enjoying my Ipod .... noting the surprise inclusion of "Flagpole Sitta", I thanked her for putting this in with my collection ... my last 3 km were at hard fast pace to finish off this session and just as I started thumping my way down the final stretch "Animal Crackers in my Soup" came through my headphones .... my sweaty fingers only enable me to turn the damn thing up whilst trying to skip to the next song.

Farewell ..... *sniff* ..... you were too young.