I’m humbled.  What can I say?  I’m totally humbled here, reeling in fact from the kind words from so many friends and fellow runners, people whom I admire a great deal.
 
I’ll be honest with you…I’ve always been honest with you (for better or worse) …I’m not someone who thinks very highly of myself…and so, what you’re about to hear are some really special people saying some very incredible things about..well…me.
 
I’m not sure that I deserve the kindness, but you must…I beg you, you MUST understand how much I appreciate the kind words.
 
Ten years.  I really don’t have alot to say about the 10th anniversary of this podcast.  I’m happy about it; I’m glad that I’m still producing the show, and I’m very honored to have run with you for the last full decade of my life.
 
Obviously this show and I have changed quite alot since July 4th of 2005 and there's quite alot that you can say about change.  It's scary, it's sometimes sad, sometimes amazing, it's ongoing and ever constant. 
 
Heraclitus of Ephesus, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher born in 535 BC said it best when he wrote “There is nothing permanent except change.”
 
One of the biggest changes with respect to this podcast isn’t so much the audio quality, format or content…it’s me.  Here’s something that I’ve learned after 10 years of podcasting: Although there is pain in life, I am NOT a man of constant sorrow.  I have NOT seen trouble all of my days.
 
I’ve seen injury, illness, tragedy and betrayal…yes, that’s true…but most of the past 3,652 days have been good days, most of the past 10 years have been filled with good times, amazing friends and pure joy. Life is pain, but it’s also beautiful. It’s easy to focus on the sorrow, but I take comfort in knowing that it isn’t constant. 
 
“The Dude abides. I don’t know about you but I take comfort in that. It’s good knowin’ he’s out there. The Dude. Takin’ ‘er easy for all us sinners.”
 
That was a quote from the character “The Stranger” played by Sam Elliot from the cult classic movie “The Big Lebowski”.
 
What does that have to do with 10 years of podcasting, I suppose you’re asking.  It’s a good question, worthy of a good answer: which is this: 
 
I, like the Dude…abide.  As I get older…as WE get older, our bodies will slowly loose the “vim and vigor” of our youth…but that doesn’t mean we have to go, as Dylan Thomas writes “gentle into that good night”.  Old age shouild burn and rave at close of day, rage, rage against the dying of the light.
 
This dude, this runner abides. I abide the lessons of these past ten years, of physical exhaustion, emotional tragedy, crushing defeat and betrayal.  I abide the love, joy and peace of living my life to the top. I abide and savor, like a fine Argentinian Malbec, or a classic Cotes du Rhone the friendships I've made thanks to this goofy little podcast.
 
Thank you Adam for reminding me that I'm better than I feel, and that no man is a failure who has friends.
 
Thank you, very much, for running with me fellow runners.
 
The dude abides.
 
Thank you Adam, Eddie, Jeff, Derek, Chris, Susan, Margaret, Peter, Donna, Norn, Kevin, Christina, Carlos, Tim, Neil and Jim.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Links:
 
Melodious advice by Neil on Twitter @neilbearse 
 
Both opening and closing themes songs were by Jim Fidler at jimfidler.com
“The Curra Road” was composed by Ger Wolfe at gerwolf.com
 
The song “Man of Constant Sorrow” was by Rod Stewart.
 
Intervals between episodes can be found at steverunnerblog.com
 
In Vino Veritas with http://www.coachjeff.com.au/at http://www.thewinechatpodcast.com/
 
Track my return to the road at health.steverunner.com
 
ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT: Phedippidations is supported monthly through the kind financial support of fellow runners who clicked on the ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT button at SteveRunner.com to subscribe to Amazon Payments or Paypal to send me a dollar a month for my podcasting efforts.   
 
Thank you:
 
Vera, Ryan, Chaise, Gordon, Scott, Mike, Jeff, Colin, Jason, Diane, Cheryl, R