"Facing" Adversity

I am going to clue you in right now. The title of this blog is horribly "pun"y. But you will forgive me when I am through.

I have known my friend Jenni for close to four years now. When I did my 52 Marathons in 52 Weekends, she was kind enough to host me at the San Francisco Marathon. In fact, on the way to race morning in the cab, I saw my very first live hooker! I was so excited that Jenni thought I was going to jump out and ask for her autograph.

In addition to all of this, Jenni is also in a picture that remains one of my favorite of myself of all time. As I am not the most photogenic chap out there, that is saying something!

Jenni on the left and me on in the middle. Duh.

It's Like Raaaaiiin on your Running Shoes

So here, just a few days after I nipped a little bit at Alanis Morrisette for creating an entire generation of kids who had no idea what the word "ironic" meant, I am here to praise her. If you did not know, Ms. Formerly-on-You-Can't-Do-That-On-Television (which I adored as a precocious pre-teen growing up in the late 80s) will be running the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon next weekend in Northern California.


More importantly than just another celebrity taking to the 26.2 miles that we all know and love is the fact that she will be raising money for the National Eating Disorders Association. Running for charity is obviously something near and dear to my heart. As such I am always wary when I hear of anyone, especially a celebrity, doing so. However, like it or not, when a "non-runner celebrity" does take to the roads, it is going to raise more money and more awareness than any of us non-celebrities. Which is why I am glad Alanis is running for such a worthy cause and one so completely tied into the sport of running (even if she did not know it to begin with.)

Massive Weight Loss

I am a huge champion of people getting healthier. I love hearing stories about how people have taken to better eating habits, adding more exercise to their life, and have realized the value that they have added to their own lives, and those around them by doing so. In fact, I have posted previously about my cousin Jenn who had lost 80 lbs back in March. Most recently she let me know she had pushed past the 110 lb barrier and keeps up the battle every day. I am extremely proud of her! This took a great deal of willpower and fortitude. I also, at the same time, wished she had never gotten herself into that position in the first place.

The reason I say this is a recent story about a man named Bob Bedord who lost 257 pounds in 30 months without surgery. Leaving the easy" Well, he IS from Wisconsin" jokes aside, something about the article struck me. Let me start off by saying that when I read the article I was impressed and also very happy for him. He did not take the easy way out. He worked hard. He lost the weight and will inevitably have a higher quality of life because of it.

October...and Snow?

There is something rather amusing about attending a movie and presentation showing in Park City, UT on the last day if September, wherein the residents have all gathered to speak about how global warming is affecting us all and how the snowfall will continue to decrease each year unless we do something about our habits (none of which I am actually disputing)...when there is a raging blizzard going on outside.

Santa Barbara International Marathon

This is a good week for putting into play my speaking efforts at marathons. This morning I firmed up a deal to be the featured speaker at the inaugural Santa Barbara International Marathon.


For the longest time, Santa Barbara did not exist as a real city to me. Growing up in Pennsylvania and rarely leaving a 50 mile circle from my home, anything on the other side of the country might as well have been on Mars. And Santa Barbara? Well, that was a soap opera. With wealthy people whose lives I did not understand. Now, the first weekend of December, I get to run through the American Riviera and help break in the first marathon run through the streets of Santa Barbara in over a quarter of a century!

Running Routes and Roman Polansky

I often am asked how I can be so up for running all the time. The simple answer is I am not. sometimes I just plain and simply do not want to get out the door. But there is never a time when I come back from a run that I am not happy I went and did it. I feel better, my mood is light and I know I am doing something good for me. And I don't need Scientific American to devote an entire article to whether it really does. Then again, apparently scientific evidence is necessary for some people, like the one who said to me at the Women's Fitness Celebration this past weekend: "You can't be enjoying yourself. I never see a runner smile." To wit I returned: "Do you smile during sex?"

Stillwater Marathon 2010

I love irony. Especially when it is used correctly. (N.B. Alanis Morrisette's song "Ironic" is not a good example of that.) Just last week, I posted about Running with Headphones and in that post I had a picture of me running the inaugural Stillwater Marathon. Well just a day or so later, I was able to confirm that I will once again be attending, running and speaking at this fantastic race on the banks of the St. Croix River.

If you missed my recap of the this race, click HERE.

St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration

Life is funny. After having never been to the state of Idaho before in my 33 years, I have been all over it in the past few months. From book signings to running the Sawtooth Relay solo I have spent a fair amount of time in the Gem State. This past weekend was no exception as I occupied my time as a guest and speaker at the St. Luke's Women's Fitness Celebration.

As the logo says, this race as been a fixture of the Boise, ID landscape for 17 years. The brainchild of Anne Audain, (the phenomenal New Zealand runner who won more road races during the 80s than any athlete male or female) this race is now America's largest 5K for Women. To be asked to participate in the weekend's festivities was indeed and honor.

A few days before the race, we were treated to a great film about Anne's life. Following her struggled and changes throughout life was both inspiring and uplifting. Meeting Anne and spending the next few days kibitzing about the running world was even more of a treat.

A sunday long run

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I would be going for a long run this Sunday morning. Longer than I ever have before without receiving a medal for doing so. It was quite a different experience for sure.

I have often told friends that now that I have been running for a few years, I will see road signs that point to my intended destination with a certain mileage left somewhere around the marathon distance and I will think: "If my car broke down, I could be there in four hours. In these loafers."

26.2 Mile Training Run

At the Top of Utah Marathon expo last night I was more than pleased to not only meet some old acquaintances but make new friends. On top of everything else I got to learn about a wonderful organization called 2 Good Legs.


What 2 Good Legs, and more specifically ultrarunner Lorie Hutchinson is doing is running 18 marathons distances in 18 days covering the entire state of Utah from the north to south.