FINALLY - the year is over - and its 12 in 12 on 7!

I registered for the December 10th Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Alabama because I was tired of being cold and wanted to run a warm weather race. It was 17 degrees at the start of the race…

I flew down to Huntsville after work on Friday. I got off the plane, bought a local paper, and found a big photo of myself running in Argentina earlier in the year staring at me off the newspaper page! There was a nice little story about my project which I greatly appreciated - and prayed that no one would recognize me because that always increases expectations.

Linda said I could do this race as long as I was back in Cincinnati for a 7pm dinner party of Saturday night – so I knew my work was cut out for me. I arrived in frigid Huntsville – record cold snap – and went to the expo to get my number. Less than a thousand runners registered, and a small expo.

Since I’d never been to Huntsville, I set out to explore the city by foot. I went to the Huntsville Museum of Art and lost myself in an incredible Ansel Adams photography exhibit – the guy used light and perspective like nobody else. It was a beautiful show.

I then walked around town, wishing I could have visited the air and space exhibits but I was carless and had no clue where everything was – plus it was getting late. I asked about the best pasta restaurant in town, but it was closed for a private holiday party, so I ended up at the “$10 all you could eat” pasta dinner sponsored by the marathon. It was fun, quick, good, and I got to meet some other runners. I then went up to my room, got into bed, and watched Jodie Foster in “Flight Plan” before falling asleep.

My hotel was at the start and finish, so I could “sleep in”. I got up around 6:30am, had my coffee, juice, banana, and read the paper. I arrived at the start about 5 minutes before the gun – because it was so COLD!!

I must admit – my 12th marathon in 12 months this year had left me rather fatigued. Whereas I usually start second-guessing myself around mile 18, today it happened at mile 2. I asked myself why I was doing this when I was cold and tired and not at all motivated. This race was a chore –all 26.2 miles of it. I wasn’t able to shake off the little naggy aches and pains after a few miles and hit my stride. When one ache would fade, another would pop up someplace else. I’d broken a shoelace, so that made things troublesome because my shoe didn’t feel right on my foot. When running that distance, the smallest discomfort can become overwhelming and make you wonder if you’ll lose a toenail or develop a bad blister.

The sun came out, and there were occasional distractions – goofy Christmas decorations, or the smell of leaves burning, or lone supporters on the course offering encouragement. Eventually, FINALLY, the 25th mile marker appeared, and I knew another one was about in the bag. My 12th this year - I’d amazed myself. I finished, surprising unemotional, and dashed to my room for a quick shower and then a cab to the airport and the flight home and another shower and dressed and dutifully at the holiday dinner party with Linda by 7pm. When someone asked what I’d done that day, I just said that I’d “gone for a run”….

Incredibly, I’ve now raised over $225,000 for the March of Dimes. What a generous circle of friends and colleagues I have. I am truly blessed. As I said when I wrote after the Miami marathon, I sure wish my parents could have been around this year to share the excitement and accomplishment – and to see how much I’ve been able to give back to the organization that played such an important role in our lives. I think they would have been pleased….