Running

Mike runs his first official 26.2, Rock N Roll Marathon, tomorrow morning.

For those of you who don't know, he actually completed a training marathon in the past, about 10 years ago, but torqued his knee about two weeks out.  That knee injury, a holdover from a soccer injury/surgery when he was a teen, was the end of his running career in that moment. As the knee healed and the calendar moved from Winter through to Spring and back through Summer to Fall, kids and work and life took over and the idea of running long distance fell completely off Mike's radar.

Then he turned the magical unicorn number (40, in case you don't know) and started thinking about the rest of his life.  And things, such as "burned v. buried?", "When exactly IS the Early Bird Special served and am I old enough to take advantage of it?", and "Run, Forrest, Run!" started swimming through his mind.

Then, his twin sister threw down the gauntlet when she started talking about her desire to run a marathon.  What once sounded like a bucket list item to check off once the kids were well into Middle and High school quickly became a phone call to a local friend with a running group, a written check for fees to the training guru, and a four-times-per-week schedule that started in late May and will culminate with a 7:30a.m. start on Sunday.

His right knee withstanding, Mike is ready for this.  He has been commenting that it is time for about two weeks now.  He is genuinely excited and nervous all in the same breath.

And we are stoked for him.  We who will receive updates via text so we know where to dash next and shove our homemade signs at him and yell like crazy people.  We who will be gaining weight on the sidelines just by breathing, while he works off the equivalent of a 10-gallon bucket of lard.  We who will catch him at the finish line and take pictures of his victory and listen to every gory detail of every mile on the almost six-hour ride home from San Antonio.

So, today, if you would say a little prayer for Mike, we'd sure appreciate your support.  He is running in warm conditions (83 degrees projected) so hydration will be crucial.  Clearly, the strength of his knee is also paramount.  I know the mental toughness it has taken to get him this far will serve him well but I also know the demons that can mess with you when you are exhausted.  Those need to be replaced by thoughts from God to give Mike the strength to get to the bitter end.

In advance, I thank you for your support.  Whether you ran with him, passed him on the trail and smiled his way, encouraged him on Facebook, or said a prayer in his name, we love and adore you for doing your part.

I look forward to posting picture of his sweet victory in the days to come!