My friend the marathoner...

I spent some last week, talking with a marathoner. We weren't at a local running event, or even in a running store. Our paths had crossed at a work function where neither of our jobs have anything at all to do with running. How we got onto the topic of running, I can't quite recall, but I'm sure glad we did.

I was awestruck to learn that my new friend was in fact a marathoner and plans to take on the the Athens Marathon in Greece next April. He must have seen the admiration in my eyes as he told me more about his plans and how he was training to meet his goals.

But I was more impressed with the sincere interest he showed in my running career and the questions he asked of me about how I had gotten to my first starting line a couple of years ago. He asked me about my training, my diet and my inspiration. As we talked, I began to realize that it's true that the only thing that makes a runner a runner is that he goes out and he runs.

I'm not a fast runner, he is. I'm not built like a runner, he is. I have never run a marathon, he has. But one thing we do share, is a few times a week, in all kinds of weather and at different times of the day, we go out and we run, one foot-strike after another. To paraphrase The Penguin, John Bingham, when it comes to running, it matters not where you finish, but instead, whether or not you start.

Don't be afraid that you can't do it, be afraid that you won't.

Uncle Fred...

I attended a funeral for a relative last week and I have to say, the service was very moving.

The church was filled with friends and relatives who had been, in some way, touched by Uncle Fred. And as Fred was remembered for his great sense of humour and his way of reaching out to help anyone in need, through tear-filled eyes I began to wonder what the person giving my eulogy would say about me and the way I lived my life.

All of things you're supposed to be in life, Fred was. He was kind to everyone, he treated people with respect, he listened when people spoke, and he kept his mouth closed at just the right time. Fred inspired those who came in contact with him and he was there for those who needed a helping a hand. In fact, Fred had attended a friend's funeral on the morning of the same day he himself passed away - he was always thinking of others. Fred wasn't flashy, he just went about his business, never looking for accolades; he comes from a long line of siblings who are much the same way, they're all fine men and women.

And as my heart broke with the vision of Fred's daughter mourning the loss of her father, I wiped a tear away and realized I had the answer to how I want to be remembered - he was just like his Uncle Fred, that's what I would want them to say.

Now it's up to me to make that happen.

The little things excite me...

If you're a runner in my area and you were out this morning, lucky you, what a day - I was one of the lucky ones.

The air was crisp, the wind non-existent, and the sun was shining like I had never seen it shine before, making me feel a little sorry for those who chose to sleep such a morning away. Running, is perhaps one of the greatest ways a person can learn about himself, not just his physical ability, but all the other little things that make him tick. At about the two-mile mark, I had another revelation, another personal insight into what excites me in life.

It's the little things that excite me. I love running with my sunglasses on and staring into the sun as it is rises to the sky; I swear I can see it winking at me on mornings like this. And on these mornings, I love watching my breath slowly dance to the heavens as it leaves my mouth with each huff and puff; there's nothing that makes you feel more alive. And I love the feeling of my own perspiration rolling down from the top of my head onto my face just before I wipe it away with my wristband - it signals that everything is functionning well and my effort is where it should be.

I wouldn't say that I love the physical act of running, the actual foot to the pavement routine, because let's be honest, it's a tough slog on the best of days. What I do enjoy, though, is having the ability to run and experience the little things that get me going.

How could a person ask for more?

Inspired thinking...

I was asked recently about how people stay motivated and inspired when it comes to running and exercise in general. The question cropped up during a discussion of the impending holiday season and the associated, and seamingly endless onslaught of temptations to be bad, in terms of diet and regular exercise.

The timing of the discussion was perfect, because for inexplicable reasons, my running has been super-charged lately and I'm trying to figure out why; it's not that I'm performing my best, because compared to last year, I'm not, but I am enjoying it like never before. I'm excited about every impending treadmill session, and practically ecstatic about my weekly, outdoor Sunday morning jaunt. I've even mapped out my running goals for next year highlited by two half-marathons and a 10-miler, and I've made up my mind to try to be ready for my first marathon in the Fall of 2008 in Toronto.

Lofty goals? Perhaps. But contained within these goals is the answer to what inspires me - my own ability - and it's no different, better, or worse than anyone elses's ability.

What inspires me? Those who dream it, and those who then do it.

And Susan makes four...

I received an email from my oldest sister today announcing that she too has taken up running. She wrote that her reason for doing so is because she was getting tired of being left out of family gatherings that more and more have been revolving around running events.

I think it's terrific that my oldest sister has made this decision and it confirms my belief that running is about so much more than sweating, hard breathing, and pounding the pavement - leave that for the athletes. In our case, it has become a real connection point for our family. Separated by miles, schedules and other commitments, running has become a common thread, keeping us together, and a force gravitating us closer to each other.

My sister asked if there was any advice we could offer her as a newbie to running. I've given it some thought, and here are my best ideas for runners just starting out, in case she happens to read this:

1. Read John Bingham's "The Courage to Start" and then read "No Need for Speed", also by Bingham;
2. Start easy - a walk run approach is best to get your body ready for the new stresses it is about to experience;
3. Go to a good running store and get fitted for a pair of quality shoes. It's worth spending the money here - you need a comfortable ride;
4. Before getting started, accept that there will be bad days - forget about them;
5. Before getting started, accept that there will be outstanding days - remember them always; and,
6. Enjoy. Take in the sights, celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they might seem. New runners see great gains in fitness and endurance in a relatively short period of time - keep track of your workouts in a log or online so you can easily look back on how far you have come.

Most importantly, put one foot in front of the other, shut-up, and run.