Running Is My Crack

Yes, I know it's been forever since I've posted anything. Life has been crazy for me since the Strawberry Plains Half Marathon. Between family life, work and everything else in between, free time to update you all on my running adventures has been few and far between.

(Of course, that's part of the reason I created a Facebook page for this blog. I can update regularly there without all the long narratives you find here. Translation: this is a big ol' hint for you to 'like' and follow my Facebook page! :-) )


I've got a long list of things to share: updates on my training for my upcoming marathon (my first full is only 19 DAYS AWAY!!! eek!), how the month of February went for me (OK, I'll just tell here and now - it went GREAT! 156.7 miles with a pair of 20-mile runs) and an assortment of other items.

But what I want to share with you today is this revelation I had this morning: I'm addicted to running.

Nothing Like the Running Family

Some of my SID Running Family

When I picked up running and eventually the 'bug,' I didn't have an inkling of what I was in store for.

I thought I knew what it was all about. After all, I've been involved in sports my entire life. Heck, my entire 17-year professional career has revolved around athletics either as a member of the sports media or as a sports information director.

I was even on the track team in high school, although I competed in field events only tossing the discus and shot put.

Sports is my life. So, one would think I knew what to expect when I became a 'runner.'

Don't Forget Your Running Shoes

Let's be honest. Keeping up your fitness/exercise/running program going while traveling is never easy. If you're like me, you do what you can to get your runs and avoid the hotel dreadmill.

But when you go to a new or an unfamiliar town, finding a good place to run can be a challenge.

So imagine my surprise and absolute delight when I found the Greenbelt Park when I recently spent the better part of two weeks in Kingsport, Tenn., as I worked a couple of college baseball tournaments. And it was a double score since I had easy access to it from my hotel, meaning I could just step out of my hotel room and begin running to the park.

It was a lovely situation for me.

What A Way To Celebrate

It was in May of 2010 in which I began my full-fledged life as a runner. It was this time a year ago Dave Parsons talked me into running the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Half Marathon.

Wanting to get a jump on things, I began training almost immediately so I could steadily build my mileage up to be ready to go come July when it was time to begin training in earnest for the October race. Dave kicked off his running career on May 26, 2010.

Truth be told, I had run off and on for the past five, six years. However, it was not until May of 2010 that I truly took to the sport.

Couldn't Have Done It Without My Team

The Go! St. Louis Half Marathon has come and gone, and I posted a PR!

I missed my goal time badly, but a PR is a PR and I will take. My official time in the April 10 race was 2:31:01, almost two minutes faster than my previous half marathon.

There were a number of 'pit falls' and troubles along the way for me, but I don't have the time to delve into that right now. What I wanted to say right now is thanks to my support team.