Callie is the #1 Motivation. Period.

Training for this marathon is really taking dedication.  Lots of it.  It has really been helping me to have a running schedule posted on my refrigerator.  I have not missed a run yet.  I just hope that I can keep this up. I had a really good running experience that I would like to tell about.

          Yesterday (Saturday the 25th) Hannah and I went to the temple in Washington D.C.  We were planning to leave at 9:00 a.m.  I had work until 11:30 the night before, and Saturday is usually the day for my long run.  So, I wanted to get my run done in the morning.  It was 11 miles, and I was going to wake up at 6:00.  Well, you ever have those mornings when you don't wanna wake up when your alarm goes off? (Which for most of us is every morning?) Yesterday was one of those mornings.  I dragged myself out of bed at about 6:30, but by the time I was ready to go on the run it was after 7.  I asked myself, "Is it worth it?"  I debated running 8 miles in the morning instead of 11, and making up the other 3 miles in the evening.  I guessed, however, that we probably  wouldn't be getting back from the temple until dark, by which time it would be too late to go for a run.  I knew Hannah wanted to leave around 9:00, so I didn't want to destroy those plans.  But, I wanted to get my mileage in for the day.  So, I asked Hannah if it would be okay with her if I got back from my run a little later than I planned and we would leave for the temple at a later time.  She said it was okay, so I went for the run.  It was a good run, kinda slow, but good.  

          I got back from my run, and I was telling Hannah about it, and about how if it weren't for Callie being my motivation, I probably wouldn't get up and run.  So I was stretching down, and preparing to get ready for the temple, when all of a sudden Hannah (who is also on a running schedule) said, "Would it be alright if we got a later start to the temple so I can go on my run?"  I said that would be fine, and that I would run with her.  As she was putting on her running shoes, I said to her, "I got to you with talking about Callie, huh?"  Hannah nodded her head yes.  If it weren't for Callie, neither of us would be in this.  I am so glad for such a wonderful motivation to keep going, mile by mile, step by step.  Seriously, any time that I get discouraged and don't want to be in this, I think of Callie, and she makes all the difference in the world to how I feel about running.  I am in this for her, so that one day she, and other children like her to come, might be able to walk.  I love this.

Richmond or Bust!

Hi Everybody!

So, you may or may not know, but my 2-year-old niece Callie has a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which I will not go into detail about, but there is more info about the condition and about Callie on my sister's blog at joshaimeecallie.blogspot.com.  Long story short, Callie is unable to walk, and her chances of being able to walk in the future are slim to none.  It's a pretty deep subject matter to get into, and I only know a little bit about SMA, so as I said, I'm not going to go into detail about it.  But Callie is a precious angel in my life, and always brings such joy and happiness to me whenever I get to see her.  Anyone who meets her will tell you the same.  She is such a darling.

As part of fundraising efforts, my sister's cousin Jessica has been teaming up with Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to raise funds for research for SMA, and as part of this, she is running the 2012 Richmond Marathon in November.  My mother is training for this marathon as well, and so am I!  I am so excited to be training for my second marathon!  It's going to be a mountain climb, that's for sure, but I know that with motivation and dedication, I'll be ready for it in three months.

This will be my second marathon.  I'm a runner, but oftentimes it's hard to feel the motivation to run every day.  Since I returned from my mission, I thought I would be able to get right back on a running routine.  You know, wake up and run every day.  But at that point, I didn't have a purpose... whereas before, I did have a purpose.  I'd be part of a team, or at least I'd have goals that I'd be committed to.  But right after my mission, I didn't see much point.  I'd think to myself, "What's my motive?"  So I'd run, but maybe once every couple of days.  Those of you who are runners know what good that does a guy.  Not much.  This time is different.  What's my motive?  Callie's my motive.  Every day when I think to myself, "Ughhh, I don't wanna run today," or "Ughhh, I don't have time for my run," I think of Callie.  I think how in a few years, she would do anything to be able to run, let alone walk.  So I'm running the miles that she won't be able to.  And it's going to be the most meaningful marathon I'll ever run.

If you would like to donate to SMA research and help out Callie and other kids like her, please click here.