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I\u2019m never going to be asked to give a speech in front of a crowd of fellow runners.\xa0 It\u2019s not going to happen; and by saying that I\u2019m not implying that the absent request is a travesty; there\u2019s a good reason why I\u2019ll never be asked: because while you and I are friends and there are at least ten of you listening right now: generally speaking I am not what you call: popular.\n\xa0\nI\u2019m not very well known, and never expect to be burdened with fame\u2026not enough at least to be asked to speak to a crowd of runners at the 2010 John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo - Runners Seminar.\n\xa0\nTo be honest, that\u2019s probably a good thing.\xa0 I think you know that I tend to be a bit of a rogue; you never know when I\u2019m going to go off on a goofy comedy riff or a screaming anger-thon\u2026quite honestly, when I clip on this microphone I\u2019m not even sure what\u2019s going to happen\u2026so, it\u2019s probably in John Hancock\u2019s best interest to suppress my speech at this and every Boston Marathon expo.\n\xa0\nAs I was thinking about this, while out on a long run (where my best thoughts are formed) I asked myself what I would do if I got the call to speak?\xa0 What if the event organizers called me up tomorrow and asked me to present the key note address at the Boston Marathon Health and Fitness Expo; one of the largest gatherings of runners in the world?\n\xa0\nWell, obviously the first thing I\u2019d do is panic, then resolve to respectfully refuse: but opportunity is not a lengthy visitor, so as adverse as I am to speaking in public or standing in the spotlight of attention: I know that I\u2019d have to somehow suck it up; and take to that podium and speak.\n\xa0\nI wouldn\u2019t enjoy the experience; I would dread the days and hours prior to my presentation: but despite all that I know that I\u2019d accept the invitation, because like it or not: I do have something to say.\n\xa0\nWhat I\u2019d have to say to a large gathering of fellow runners would require a number of speeches.\xa0 This being the 225th episode of Phedippidations, I\u2019ve venture to guess that I\u2019d have at least 225 themes that I\u2019d want to cover\u2026but if I only had time for one topic; one keynote message to transmit from my mouth to the ears of an audience of runners it would be what you\u2019re about to hear.\n\xa0\nSo imagine, if you will, that it\u2019s 2:00 in the afternoon on Sunday, April 18th 2010; the day before the 114th running of the Boston Marathon.\xa0 You\u2019re sitting in a packed room at the Hynes Convention Center on Boylston Street in Boston, just a quarter mile up the road from the finish line of the Boston Marathon.\n\xa0\nYou\u2019ve been walking around town and the expo floor for the past three days, and you\u2019re just about ready to head back to your hotel to rest up for the night in preparation for the big race.\xa0 You\u2019re tired, a little anxious and your patience is getting a little frayed when someone familiar steps up to the podium\u2026. \n\xa0\nShow Links:\n\nNew Podcast: \nSend in your race reports to \n\u201cUnderground\u201d by Black Lab off the Album Give Us Sugar