The RunRunLive 4.0 Podcast Episode 4-373 – Bill Sycalik Runs the National Park System  (Audio: link) audio:http://www.RunRunLive.com/PodcastEpisodes/epi4373.mp3] Link epi4373.mp3 MarathonBQ – How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon in 14 Weeks - http://www.marathonbq.com/qualify-for-the-boston-marathon-in-14-weeks/ Hello and welcome to this autumn edition of the RunRunlive podcast.  I’m a bit tardy with this one because of a perfect storm of scheduling priorities.  Like I said I have a new gig in the city where I have been figuring out the commute and putting in long hours, plus I’ve been in the final stages of a training plan with those long runs and hard workouts.  Time has been short and logistics has been challenging for writing and recording.  But, this is not the ‘whine about things’ podcast.  No this is the RunRunLive podcast where we talk about transformational power of endurance sports.   Today we interview Bill Sycalik from Run the parks – you may have seen him in that running magazine or heard him on a podcast recently – he’s got a good PR presence and it’s a great story.  It’s a good chat.  I like what he’s doing.  It’s a good transformational story.  Like I said in the interludes comment last week I’ve been hard pressed with a new professional gig.  I had two business trips this past week and have been putting in some long hours.  I’m not complaining, I love it and I understand that the first 90 days in any new position, whether it’s a contract or a new job or a new role in your current company – those first 90 days are a special opportunity that you need to seize.  And that can adjust your life balance.  So – here it is Saturday and I’m going to give you the present of a few hours of my thoughtful attention, my RunRunLive friends.   Training has been a struggle over the last couple weeks but I did get a nice long run in on the Wapack course and I’ve got another tomorrow.  Am I ready for the Maine Marathon in 3 weeks?  Of course.  I could roll out of bed on a random Tuesday and run a marathon.  Am I in race shape?  I give myself a solid B- on that.  My engine is still good but my legs aren’t keeping up as well.  The big news, I guess, is that I got my confirmation letter for the 2018 Boston Marathon.  This will be my 20th Boston.  I am qualified for this race.  For those of you who have been on this journey with me, or more correctly on your own journeys with me, we’ve seen some ups and downs haven’t we?  We’ve been witness to many things.  We’ve experienced the meat and marrow of many endurance happenings.  We’ve learned a lot.  What a long wonderful trip it’s been, huh? … Here’s a story from one of my first days in the new office.  I have been getting into the city early to beat the traffic.  Another team member showed up.  Just he and I, chatting.  I don’t know how we got on the subject, maybe it was a segue from the nice cool fall weather, but he starts telling me about the time he ran the Ragnar Relay on Cape Cod.  I nod and ask some clarifying questions like, ‘Did you have a 12-person team?  Did anyone pull up injured?”  Then he tells me about how he ran it with his Spartan buddies and about how obstacle racing is really his big thing.  I ask, “Do you run that one up in Killington?” He says, “Yeah, I love the Beast.” I say, “Good for you, that’s a tough race.” He says, “Yeah, I did it in like 9 ½ hours.” And the point of my story is that I didn’t say a word about myself.  I just complimented him on his achievements.  Because, I try not to be ‘that guy’ in the office.  I always have tried not to be ‘that guy’ that people avoid because ‘that guy’ always drives the conversation back to himself.  Let people celebrate their lives and achievements.  Don’t always be playing ‘who’s got the biggest’, even if they stumble into your domain of expertise.  Celebrate with them. It’s not about you. … But just for the record…Remember back when we ran the Ragnar as a Brooks sponsored ultra team with 6 athletes and won it?  An