#MyChicagoMarathon No. 9

4:55am

My alarm goes off.

Laying in bed, I can hear the combination of rain and wind that awaits me on my morning run.

It would have been an easy day to hit snooze, or even reset my alarm . It would have been more comfortable to change my workout to a combination of exercises in my warm (and dry) basement. It would have been manageable to rearrange my run and log the miles in the evening (when it was, hopefully, dryer), or on a different day altogether; after all, this was only my training to get ready for my marathon training.

In years past, I would have chosen one of the options that I listed in my previous paragraph. And it would have been fine. But if I skipped (or altered) this workout, skipping (or altering) the next workout becomes an easier choice to make. Choosing to run would mean choosing the Slight Edge.

Life doesn’t give us perfect conditions. The timing is never just right. That’s okay. We don’t get better when we stay in our comfort zones. We get better by doing things that make us (at least a little) uncomfortable.

Besides, what if it is raining on October 13th when I line-up to run #MyChicagoMarathon? It won’t matter. I’ll be running, regardless.

So on Wednesday, April 10th at 5am, in the rain, I ran. It was cold, it was wet, and it was windy, but it felt good. And after it was over, it felt great.

This October, I am running the Chicago Marathon. Leading up to the race, I'm using this space (my blog, this is post number nine) to document my journey. Until next time, I'll close with a shameless plug to my fundraising page (linked); I encourage you to visit, and (if you are able) donate. I hope that you'll follow me on this journey, and I hope you enjoy my story.

Donate to My Chicago Marathon for Action for Healthy Kids (linked)

#MyChicagoMarathon No. 8

This October, I am running the Chicago Marathon! I closed my last post, by starting the final paragraph with the following:
"This winter, in Iowa, has seen more extreme and/or severe weather than most (in recent memory). And as a result of dangerously cold wind chills, snow covered sidewalks and streets, and mostly all of the ice that has covered everything, my running has been limited to a couple of miles a month for the last couple of months."

Well, spring sprung! The weather is warming, and the conditions to be running outside are becoming more favorable. After what seems kind of like a hibernation of sorts, this time of year, it always feels great to get back outside and run.

But my 20-week training plan that I'm going to follow leading up to the Chicago Marathon won't begin until the week of May 27th. And I'm not as young as I once was. I can't just jump into a 20-week marathon training plan. I tried that, last year, while preparing for a half-marathon and I ended-up causing myself back pain like I've never before experienced; it may have been a coincidence, maybe not, but I'm not willing to test any theory associated with that experience.

So here I am, it's April 7th and I've completed the first two weeks of an eight-week training plan that will increase my base from three miles to six  I've probably run this program at least a dozen times. It's basic; it's easy. I want to do more. I want to go farther.

But I know better. So instead, I'll practice patience and consistency. (WARNING: Prepare yourself for an avalanche of my favorite cliches...) I'll Trust the Process. I'll Chop Wood and Carry Water. Because that's how you Break the Rock.

"Just give it time, always works."

Donate to My Chicago Marathon for Action for Healthy Kids (linked) 

#MyChicagoMarathon No. 7

This October, I am running the Chicago Marathon! In my previous post, I told you about why I'm running the Chicago Marathon.

Why am I running for charity? And why I chose Action for Healthy Kids?

I had committed to running the Chicago Marathon. I didn't want to wait another year just to see if I could gain entry. I had already started the mental preparations that will be needed. I was going to run the Chicago Marathon in 2019.

In-order to run the Chicago Marathon in 2019, since I missed out on the lottery, I had to commit to raising money for charity so that I could gain entry into the race. I had to raise $1,750 for charity in-order to gain entry into the race. All of that money is going to charity. It's for a good cause. I'm in. But what charity do I choose? There are some good ones representing some great causes.

Full disclosure, I reached-out to a lot of the different organizations that afforded the opportunity for enter into the Chicago Marathon before choosing Action for Healthy Kids. My selection of who to choose was made easier not only from the quick response that I received from Action for Healthy Kids, but also because of the way that they engaged me with their response. That matters; good job, Latrie and Seth!

Customer service, aside, Action for Healthy Kids is an organization that values a lot of the same things that I value. Their vision - Each kid healthy, active and ready to learn. Their mission - To mobilize school professionals, families and communities to take actions that lead to healthy eating, physical activity and healthier schools were kids thrive. Those are words that describe the whole child. I am an advocate for the whole child.

Our job as educators is to help develop the whole child. School is more than just academics. Instilling healthy habits in our kids that they can practice into adulthood is an obligation for us. Furthermore, practicing healthy habits with our kids results in an increased readiness to learn. Some of the things that I am really proud of about our school our some of the wellness initiatives and practices that we have created (and modeled) - #WorkoutWednesday, walk and talk, recess running club - for our school staff and families.

Donate to my Chicago Marathon for Action for Healthy Kids (linked) 

This winter, in Iowa, has seen more extreme and/or severe weather than most (in recent memory). And as a result of dangerously cold wind chills, snow covered sidewalks and streets, and mostly all of the ice that has covered everything, my running has been limited to a couple of miles a month for the last couple of months. That's about to change! I'm about to, gradually, start training for #MyChicagoMarathon. So coming-up, I plan to shift the focus of these posts to my training, and my thinking that coincides with my training. Stay tuned! Thanks.