It is not just about fnishing...... I have a duty

The Buffalo Marathon is a little more than three weeks away, this will mark my 3rd marathon and what hopes to be the first of two this year. I have trained harder for this race than I have done in the past, The results so far have been positive. I have broken through many barriers that I never thought I would, which is exciting because I feel that there are many more barriers to be broken.

This time around I have been inspired by reading books about running . I was really inspired by Meb Keflezighi's(winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon) book "Run to Overcome"  , and now I am in the middle of the book "The Perfect Mile" by Neal Bascomb. If you are a runner in need of inspiration , I recommend both . 


I have written in the past that my father was a major inspiration for my running again, I dedicated my first marathon to him. He is a man that has fought and beaten many obstacles in his life and by far is the toughest man I know. However through out my running journey there have been many who have inspired me to lace up my Nikes (now Asics) and get out there .

I am sitting here wanting to name everyone , but I don't want to bore you to death, but I will say that what inspires me is people that don't back down from a challenge. Challenges can come from many angles, it can be self imposed like running a marathon. It can be because you are trying to prove that you can still walk up the biggest hill in town , after you have had tumors removed from your legs. It can be that you stand in the mirror one day and say to the person staring back at you that you have had enough and you are going to change ...and you do. I get inspired by people who reach their dreams , like running the Boston Marathon . I get inspired by the mother of 4 who puts her life on hold so she can be a great mom, but will find the time to run another marathon with her brother...hopefully soon.


I recently received an e-mail from a friend who called me an inspiration, this shocked me a bit. I don't think of my self inspiring anyone. I have felt a little guilty about my running, it is a selfish sport. I try to involve my family in it, but ultimately it is me out there . I got to thinking about what people thought when the saw me running  (one they got past the goofy tights) . Do I inspire them?


I know two people that I do inspire and they are my kids. I want them to see that Daddy doesn't quit and that I will reach my goals, but it will take a lot of hard work.