I’ve got a brand new website! Just wanted to let you know.

Tony Bolivar, Mark Kenoly, and the Saturday Night Service from Fremont Community Church presented a Benefit Concert for Hait in 2010 Teresa Orozco, Frank Threadgill, Tommy Ivey, Claudine Dentoni, Pamela Page, Peter Becerra,

Tony Bolivar(sax) and Isaac Bolivar (guitar)perfoming their arrangement of ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’ at the 11:00 am service of Starlight Carols December 21, 2008 at Fremont Community Church. Marti Williams (piano), Don Vohar (bass), Jason Benjamin (drums.

Contact Tony to order this cd

tonybolivar@hotmail.com

Here’s a poem I wrote over twenty years ago when I ran (walked and crawled) my first marathon. I’m thinking it’s time to do it again. One in my 30′s one in my 40′s and now one in my 50′s. Tell me what you think. Tony

The Marathon

Remember, don’t start too fast; go your own pace.
The most important thing is to complete the entire race.
Will I make it?  Yes, I’m as confident as can be,
For I can do any thing through the Power which strengthens me.
Twenty six point two, this is the ultimate test.
All I can do now is go out and give it my very best.
I should have trained better, bought new running shoes.
But I’ll play the hand I’m dealt.  Go for it, win or lose.
Dreamt I slept through the start last night.
Is my head really screwed on tight?
I’ve never, ever run quite this far before.
I barely made fifteen miles, how can I run eleven more?
Can’t worry now, too late for that; the start is minutes away.
Relax, stretch out, warm up; but most importantly, pray.
Look at these people, they all must be crazy.
Not me, this will just prove I’m not lazy.
The money, the pain; I have no regret,
Except that I ever tried that first cigarette.
That’s all behind me now,  nineteen-eighty-six is here;
And what a glorious way to begin a new year.
No pain, no gain; no guts, no glory.
No risks in life; then no life story.
If I bow out now, then I’ll never know.
What should I do?  Should I stay, or should I go?
“If you die out there, I’ll kill you,” a loved one said.
“If you don’t run that’ll kill you,” said a voice inside my head.
Well the first step is easy, the race has begun.
A small step it seemed, but a major victory won.
Five miles down, what a joke!  This doesn’t even hurt
I’ll pour it on for a couple of miles, an energetic spurt.
Ten miles down, fell pretty good, waving to a few folks.
While making up a dumb, moronic, marathonic joke.
‘Will I be on Wide World Of Sports, the thrill of victory so sweet?
Not me, I’ll be the one exemplifying the agony of ‘de feet.’
Halfway through now, some nice people encouraging me on.
Thanks my friends, but this is a real Breeze-a-thon.
Fifteen miles, lungs okay, but steps begin to slow.
Can’t turn around, and can’t quit now; only one way to go.
Sixteen miles- Is this what everyone calls, “runners high?”
“Don’t give up,” a young lady urged as she calmly scooted by.
Seventeen- I think the blood is rushing to my head.
Not enough training, legs feel heavy, have to walk instead.
Eighteen- Someone’s talking but the sounds are all muffled,
Senior citizen whizzes by doing the survival shuffle.
Nineteen- I don’t know when, but I know I’ve hit the wall.
Want to run faster, improve my time, but just can’t figure out how.
Twenty- Sad, happy, laughing, crying, half delirious.
People staring; with pity? Envy? Or maybe they’re just curious.
Twenty one – There’s my god-daughter, and her mother, my friend.
I was so glad that  I ran awhile. She said, “I’ll see you at the end.”
“I can’t go on,” I told her, “My body hurts too bad.”
“I’ll kick you to the finish line,” she said,”Don’t get me mad.”
Twenty two – Alone again.  Am I having fun yet?
Not really, missed my four hour mark; but on finishing I can bet.
My spirit soars but my body drags; Flesh and bones are such limited things.
With treasures divine in earthen vessels, I know why the caged bird sings.
Volunteers ahead, what joy and hope their altruism brings.
“Water, no thanks, I don’t need that.  Just give me a pair of wings!”
Twenty three – Too close to quit, but I feel I can’t go on.
The appropriate name for this race should be ‘Hell-a-thon’.
Twenty four -I can do it, just two point two to go.
So close and yet so far; and two feet that hurt me so.
Twenty five – The goal is near, I push with all my might.
I’ve passed through  the valley of darkness; now I see the light.
Twenty six – Almost there, what a joyous day.
To know I had the courage to run my fears away.
Cheers, applause, and a medal all greet me at the finish line.
My body aches beyond compare, but the rest of me is fine.
Not once did the next day’s sports section mention that I had won.
But I challenged and conquered the enemy within known only as