Run Down On The Run Up Until Now

First of all I would like to thank Janis, Scott, Joy and Kimberly for your generous donations in Memory of Joshua Keller. Your support is greatly appreciated and your contributions will help the March of Dimes in their fight against premature birth.

It’s been about 3 months since I began these daily outings and far to long since posting to let the world know how my preparation for the Mount Desert Marathon has been going. I can’t get too excited about reciting a bunch of mile and time statistics so I’ll try to spare those details, but here is a run down on the run up until now.

Way back during those early May mornings I was sporting sweat pants and hooded jacket with hands pulled up into the sleeves to fight the early morning chill. These were mainly brisk walks with Georgia around the hilly 3 mile loop which would become part of my daily route. In my head I was thinking “run a marathon for a good cause” and in reality I couldn’t conceive of running 2 blocks. Then seemingly out of nowhere I began jogging a bit each day, tripping all over Georgia’s leash as I set my sites on “just up to that mail box,” “drive way” or “street sign.” Before long it was separate walks for Georgia and each time jogging I was going just a little bit further, slowly working myself up to a solid mile. For a while I was content with this and walking the rest, reasoning that I didn’t want to push myself to hard and regret it. This was probably a good decision and as time passed I was up to jogging 2, 3 then 4 miles. This didn’t happen overnight of course. I haven’t been following any particular training program either, except that I don’t want to back slide. If I made it this far on one day, I need to go at least that far the next. Now I’m up to 5 miles on most days. I say “most days” because sometimes there just isn’t enough day in the day to get out and run. There have also been other excuses to skip a day here and there, big colds, sick kids, foot pain, backaches and pink eye. Ok the pink eye was kind of cheating but I am never the less dedicated and get very mad at myself when I don’t do my daily task.

Finding time has been the trickiest part. Early on I was able to get up 5ish and hit the road during that brief moment of tranquility before the boys woke up. Schedules are always changing but with a little improvising and the help of my biggest supporter Cari-anne, I get my run in. My wife can’t really understand why I’ve chosen a marathon to channel my energies into but she has been behind me all the way. A few months ago I began finding gifts on my pillow. A new pair of jogging shorts one night or a nice t-shirt or socks on another. Out with the old sweats and in with the new summer attire. On days when I was inclined to roll over and hit the snooze she would nudge me, several times until I got up and out. I’d return home to find my usual morning responsibility taken care of with the kids up, fed, dressed, meals packed and ready to go. Lately my strategy has been getting the kids off to daycare early and then doing my run. Even better, today Cari-anne and I dropped off the kids together and as she proceeded to work, I ran the 5 miles back home with plenty of time to get off to work myself. So I guess where there’s a will there’s a way.

October 19^th is not all that far off and I realize I still have a tremendous amount of work ahead of me. Considering that 5 miles is only about 1/5 of the distance I plan to cover in one day I need to up my mileage at least once a week. Check back. I’ll be out running every day to earn your support. Please consider a donation to the March of Dimes in Joshua's Memory.