Self Portrait - Red Altar to Madness the Athlete

I am an athlete though this desciption has faded to a blur over the years. I'm disappointed that I haven't honored it enough. If being an athlete has saved my life a few times over, it seems like I should build a gigantic altar to my athleticism -- no matter how waning -- and light candles nightly and chant chants and bring fresh cut flowers in thanks. Or at the very least, get my ass moving.

I took up running. And I've been circuiting the Adelaide Stairs. And I've started a grueling core regime. I just became tired of putting off my big fantasized Return to Athleticism so one October morning before sunrise I just laced up my shoes and went. I walked some blocks and I ran some blocks until one morning I could run the whole thing. Then I added some blocks. On the stairs too, I've slowly added sets. It's been really hard. Almost discouragingly so. The hill is so steep after a long amount of time, as I get older, and I've wondered a few times why this is important. But it just is. I just want to take the athlete off the side-lines.




More red self portraits here.