On Saturday, August 3, 2002, my life changed forever. Okay, maybe not as dramatic as it sounds to you, but for me, it changed the trajectory of my life. Kerry (my wife) and our great friends,Tim and Ali, went on a boat ride on the Fox Riverin St. Charles, IL. That's when I brought up running, and I mentioned that I was toying with running the Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2002.
Up until then, my longest run was indoors, roughly 7 miles. Ali was running at the time and knew what it would take to run a marathon. She told me FLAT OUT that there was not enough time to prepare for a marathon, and that it takes a structured training program to make that dream come true.
My stubborness and naiveness got the best of me. I started arguing with her and said that it was possible. And I made a bet of sorts with her, that I could do it. Now if you ask Ali, I am sure the story didn't go like that, and she would have her own version. In fact, she proabably doesn't remember much of that day, but I do! At any rate, that fun day turned out to be the start of my next 22 years of marathon running.
The Next Day
When Ali and I chatted about running the Chicago Marathon, I knew the next day I had to get started. I told Kerry to drop me off about 11 miles away from home and I would run back. I started late in the morning (big mistakes since the temperatures started to sky-rocket). I felt good for the first couple of miles, but I was struggling. In fact, with 4.5 miltes left, I slowed down drastically. My morale dipped really low when I heard footsteps approach me and realized I was being passed by someone that looked like they were in their 60's (sorry, no disrespect, I have realized that some people can do amazing things at any age!)
The next 22 years
This website chronicles my decades long marathon running. But why run a marathon in each state? Well first, growing up and not seeing much of America gave me the motivation to see how beautiful our land is. And second, running a marathon in each state would be an amazing journey that not only myself could participate, but so would my friends and family. Okay, but why such as crazy, ambitious, big, hairy goal? "Why?" you are probably thinking. Because, I wanted to do something that would take me into my 50's, something that would keep me busy, something that seemed impossible to me, but something I could accomplish and look back and say, "I did it!"
There were a few years in th epast 22 where I ran zero marathons,: 2003 when I was injured, and more recently 2020 when Covid hit. Throughout this time, I've met some amazing runners and people as I trained on the Prairie Path, a stretch of crushed gravel where once an old train line stood. It is an amazing stretch of trail that runners, walkers, and bikers use through the year. During this time, I have built many long lasting relationships, and you can see some them in the Running Buddies section.)
What Drives Me?
The picture above of Muhammad Ali was on a street corner in Mobile, Alabama. It stopped me in my tracks. I spent many minutes reading the sign and reflecting. So powerful to me.
Running has changed my life. I start my days running. It helps me physically and mentally. Physically, running has helped me keep the weight off, while mentally, it helps me solve problems at home and at work. I love the mornings, because I feel like I can tackle anything thrown at me. It is a great feeling to have the productivity and accomplishments right off the bat. The competing aspect also gives me that satisfaction of winning, or at least winning against myself. A way to get better. Being so competitive also has its downfalls. There are many times where I felt defeated. Where I did not accomplish my goals. For instance, it took my 10+ years to finally accomplish one of my greatest runs.
My goal of 50 marathons in 50 states has taught me the importance of patience, persistence, consistency, the agony of defeat, and the joy of accomplishing something that has taken years to complete.
I never lose, I either win or learn
Nelson Mandela
