BOULDER — Ryan Hall went to the mountaintop last weekend and gained unexpected enlightenment from an old stoner hanging out on the summit of Mount Sanitas. In the middle of a run, Hall discovered even an aging hippie can have good advice for a world-class marathoner — and for those of us who are considerably slower.
America's best marathoner shared his story with a gathering of 80 to 100 runners Sunday on the eve of the Bolder Boulder.
"I got to the top and there was this guy smoking a joint, he looked like he was homeless — white hair, white beard — he looked like an old sage," Hall said. "He was pointing out all these mountaintops. I was like, before I go, I've got to get some wisdom from this guy. I was like, 'Just give me a few good words.' He was kind of taken aback — I don't think he gets that question very often."
That cracked up the audience.
"What he said was so awesome: 'Don't waste your time,' " Hall said. "It kind of pricked my heart. I was just having fun, but I thought, how cool is that? 'Don't waste your time.' "
As often happens, a life lesson served as a running tip, and vice versa.
"What our sport is all about is not wasting time, making the most of every second you're out there," Hall said. "I also think about time in the sense of making sure we're having fun out there, enjoying the process and learning."
