Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Final States

Its been a long journey but well worth the trip. The final 8 states are in my grasp and I will have completed a marathon in all 50 states. There have been some great experiences being part of a community of runners with a dedication to endurance and perseverance - a general love for running. I started my 50 states quest in 2001 at the inaugural Baltimore Marathon and hope to end it in Kauai in September of 2014. After that my quest will be 100 marathons as I pick 'n' choose the ones internationally where I can have the best experience. At my level and most marathoners' levels, the "best experience" is what it should all be about. We are not going to beat Ryan Hall or Meb and any of the Kenyan's and Ethiopians, we are out there for the experience of that marathon and that which the venue affords us. I have never won a long distance race, never won an age group, never qualified for Boston but I have continued to lace up my shoes for the love and essence of running and particularly running the marathon. We should all find that passion in something.