On my 40th birthday I picked up the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall at a Costco, of all places. 

The book is about Ultramarathon’s and running in general, with a focus on a race in Mexico that pretty much nobody has ever heard of.

Ultramarathons.  50 mile races.  100 Mile races. In 100 plus degree weather. 

And here I am, a guy that has never successfully crossed the starting line of a marathon (though I have done 20 or so half marathons and did finish a Half Ironman, not to mention three finishes at Alcatraz). 

Running is so very honest, more honest than anything else in my life. 

I have never started a marathon (signed up for three with the first being twenty years ago and the third taking place on December 8) because I never was able to do all the work necessary.  I would work hard and than, eventually grow lazy and give up….which, in my opinion, is the biggest sin a person can commit. 

My life is pretty empty.  I work.  I sleep.  I train.  I watch television. I read.  When I am lucky I get to wrestle.  It feels as though it has been a life time since I have accomplished anything of any note or value, which is an indication of how my mind works. 

I won’t ever have kids or get married.  I doubt I will ever move out of Sacramento.  I am more then content to spent the rest of my days in this one bedroom apartment I have lived in for six and a half hours. 

But I have a bucket list.  And the number one thing on that list is Ironman.  But before I can possibly attempt Ironman I have to know that I can run 26.2 miles.  I have to believe, in my heart, that when I get off the the bike I can do it. 

After Alcatraz last month my dad said something that has really hung with me…. “it is time to become a runner.”  And he is right. 

It is time I become a runner.  Again. 

Last week sometime the “I <3 to Run” page on facebook issued a challenge.  To run AT LEAST one mile every single day of March (I last did this in December and amazingly enough succeeded, coming in at 102 miles if I remember correctly).  When I saw the challenge I immediately put my name in the hat.  Clearly I forgot to think first.

March 1:  Got home from work at 1:30 am having worked an 8 hour shift without a break. I ate dinner, took my temporary roommate for a walk, and thought about whether or not I was going to quit the challenge before it even began.  At 2:50 in the morning I headed out and ran a mile.  In five hours I have to get up and get ready to head to San Francisco.  My parents are picking me up at 9:30 (I have no idea why they want to get to the city so early this year.  In previous years we didn’t arrive until 3 or so).  So, in the next six and a half hours I need to get everything ready for Alcatraz on Sunday.   I need to run at least a mile.  And, at some point, I will need to actually get some sleep.  This challenge is going to be a challenge.