Why run?

I think I've said before - I'm not a natural athlete. I'm pretty uncoordinated. I have to hold my left hand up with my thumb extended in the shape of an L as a mnemonic device to help me differentiate between my right and left. I fall over things a lot. I've tripped over air before.

There are lots of reasons NOT to run:
1) you could get hit by a plane.
2) you can't outrun zombies anymore. They're all fast now. So why bother?
3) It makes your face go red.

In the past, the only things that motivated me to run were closing elevator doors, ninjas, slow moving zombies and 16 ft high walls of lava. And since I don't live close to volcanoes, the undead, or Japan, I wasn't really moving around very fast.

So what motivated me to do this? To run a 5k, and then to sign up for a half marathon, after years of inactivity? Well, the answer is threefold - restlessness, a desire to make a difference, and a desire to honor the memories of my friends.

The restlessness was a big motivator. Sometimes you get stuck in a rut. I wanted to challenge myself, to see if I, who possess such a pittance of will-power and endurance, could transform myself into a runner.

I've never been good at running. I find it hard to get the rhythm. They say there's a "runner's high", a threshold that you cross where the endorphins kick in and you feel a wave of well being. I've never personally felt it myself, but I think I've come close to it. There have been times when I've finished a race or a run and thought, "wow, it feels so good to stop. Maybe I'll go do that again so I can stop."

Not really the right attitude, is it?

But last year, when I was training for the 5K, I started to crave the runs. Oh sure, the first two miles were always a fight with my inner whiner. I wanted to stop so bad, but once the whiner gave up, I found a good rhythm, and started really enjoying the process. The ends of those runs were such a feeling of accomplishment and well-being. That's when I started to think that maybe longer distances were the way to go. Hence the half marathon.

I still need to work on the whiner. And the endurance. And the pacing. But it's clear that things are headed in the right direction.

Another motivator is the wish to make a difference. My late father always told us kids that "if you ever feel isolated or down, go do something for someone else." It's a wise thought - getting out of your own head, focusing outward instead of inward is an ingredient for inner peace, paradoxically. So much of our lives are spent accumulating wealth, possessions, prestige, etc. Wouldn't it be a good change to take the spotlight off ourselves, and do something that benefits others without thought for personal reward?

So I thought I'd pair the two - personal challenge with altruism. That's where the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Team in Training comes in. I can't say enough good things about this organzation. The support they provide for patients and families is phenomenal. The amount of research they fund is astounding. I'm honored to take part in the Team In Training Program. Through this program, they've allowed me to grow as a person, honor the memories of my dear friends, and help others who struggle with blood related cancers.

And speaking of dear friends, I have Doug's & Frank's pictures on a lanyard around my neck whenever I go out for a run. I do it for them. I do it because they supported me and taught me to sing and how to grow roses, and how to listen to opera critically, and how no meal is complete without a clove or ten of garlic. I do it because each step on the pavement is a way to keep them close to me, to not let their memories fade.

I appreciate your support. Each dollar you donate motivates me to train harder.
Each dollar you donate honors the lives of these two wonderful men. But most importantly, each dollar you donate keeps hope alive for thousands of blood cancer patients and their families. I cannot thank you enough.