Independence Day: 44-day Run Streak Ends

Happy Independence Day to you & your families! Freedom isn’t free and has come at a high price for the men and women that have sacrificed so much. Thank God for the freedom we do have, for families, friends, and for all the blessings that we receive from God’s bountiful grace.

Today at the ripe (almost ancient!) middle age of 44, I finished a 44-day run streak with a 4 mile run, burning 444 calories. I have trouble believing that all these 4s are coincidental! Is my lucky number 4? The stars (and the fours) were aligned for this streak to happen and continue and it wasn’t easy. (Fortunately I didn’t have to end the streak on all fours in a bear crawl! Although that seems like fun X-training to try with my family!) It seemed like it went on and on. I wanted to stop several times along this unexpected journey, as J.R.R. Tolkein may have called it. But I learned that although I may not be the fastest jackrabbit runner like I was 20+ years (or more) ago, I have endurance in spades-beyond what I thought, perseverance, and I have learned to fight, claw, scratch my way, by digging deep into my running reservoir,  through all kinds of long, short, fast and slow runs under any weather conditions. I have running dreams still unexplored for longer runs-at least ONE ultramarathon-as well as breaking recent speed bests in 5ks, much shorter.

Running is like getting water from a well:

you really must dig deep to find the strength, motivation, and determination to start and finish, to stretch yourself to new heights, and to exceed (and yes, to smash!) your expectations and previous running achievements. Doing this, you find yourself maybe halfway up a tall mountain,

looking up, wondering how high you can go. The air gets thinner as you climb but you find you have plenty of energy, you take breaks every once in a while, and you resume scaling the heights of your running dreams. The path takes unexpected twists and turns but if you stick with it, you will succeed!

By the numbers: 44 day streak-226.34 miles (203.9 during Runner’s World Run streak). Avg miles 5.14 streak (5.22 during Runner’s World Run Streak (from Memorial Day-July 4, at least 1 mile every day), longest streak since college. Streak length-May 22-July 4, 2013. (six half-marathons or longer during streak! almost maniacal!). Questions ranged from are you crazy? (or you ARE crazy!) to what are you training for? from my brother (a 5k, can’t you tell?:)

What’s next- Energy 5k-July 20 (birthday eve)-Cornhusker State Games-goal sub 25, gold medal age group (silver last yr). Ran a 25:36 last year.

REST day tomorrow! YES! What does this mean? 4 foam rollers, yes all 4!

elevating & rolling legs on a medicine ball indefinitely in a catatonic trance, I mean NAP!

Swim time, R&R, I will relax! I will!

God Bless America! May God bless you and your families. See you on the running trails soon. But maybe only 5-6 days/week instead of 7! Run 4 your life!

Resting peacefully, Jeremy