My longest goal : COMPLETED

It was back in Sept of last year and I had a thought, "Since I like running marathons so much why I don't I try and go for a record?" I was thinking it would not be hard cause this is something I like to do. I love long distance running. I never thought I would have so much fun while doing it. Before starting this journey my longest completed goal lasted about 3 months. I was trying lose weight and got into a contest and won. I have tried to do other goals in my life and have failed time and time again. I usually do not have the will power to continue on long term goals. I like the quick fix for all my plans. So when I thought about this was going to be 6 months of races and and at least 9 months of training, well I was a little nervous that I would not complete it.

November was the starting month. It started when I took on the journey to run Chickamauga Battlefield marathon with very little training. I originally signed up for the half but my wife was going to be at the finish line taking pictures for Peachsports.com photography. She told me that I should sign up for the full since she was going to be there the whole time. I agreed. I should not have cause it was horrible. I did not train enough and walked about the last 7 to 8 miles in the finish the race. My legs felt like jello but I finished.

2 weeks later I took on the yearly race of Bartram Forrest 50K. This is such an exciting race to run through the forest. Kevin , the RD, puts on a terrific and scenic course. It is a race that is about 5.25 miles and you loop it as many times to get a HM, marathon or a 50K. I started out with the mind frame that I was going to run the 50K and have supporters to come and run with me through out the race. Well some of them did not show up except for one, Stefanie Swanger.
It was great running with Stef cause she tried to keep me motivated to reach my goal. Well somewhere around mile 21 or 22 my body started to hurt. I stepped on a recent cut bush that just jarred my body like a lightening bolt. I stopped and told Stef that I was going to just settle for a marathon today. Then we went back to running and I just busted out laughing. I just thought for a moment and said "Stef, did I just say that I was going to settle for a marathon today" and she said yes. I thought it was funny but we did. The best part of the day was that Stef originally said she was going to just run 3 laps with me but she ran 5 laps for a marathon and had a PR. WOW thanks again Stef.

December was a time of rest for my sons birthday and the holidays. This is when I started to think again if I was going to complete this journey. This month had 0 marathons.

Jan. was the month of the annual Warner Robins Aviation Marathon at WRAFB. It consist of 2 laps around the base. I was feeling great for this race. I had intentions of trying to go out and PR. Well the race was off and I started running with some friends of our local running clubs. It is great to run with friends so that they can get your mind off of things and to help you keep your mind on track. Well I turned around at the half way point and started out to complete my 2nd lap of the course and realized that I was 3 minutes ahead of my PR race pace. I was feeling good. Then it hit me somewhere around mile 16 or 17. My body pooped out. Once again I was faced with the challenge of just finishing the race. I did.

Feb. was the month of 26.2 with Donna in Jacksonville. This was going to be a great race because this was going to be the 1st race where I was going to do it Galloway style and break my PR that now has become a burden in my life. My buddy Kevin that I worked with a work was going to be running this his 1st marathon. I was so excited knowing that I was part of the Galloway group that has a lot of great, energetic runners that really encourage each other to finish. We started out and I was on track with the 5 hour group until around mile 15 where the sun and heat really paid a big role in my loss of my PR. When I went out I forgot to put on sun screen and this is something that I will not forgot again. I GOT FRIED LIKE CHICKEN!!!!!!!

March is the month of the annual Snickers Marathon in Albany Ga. I love this race. So far this is my marathon PR course. Of all the races I have done, this is the race that has my fastest 2 times at. Today I was hoping to be a new PR. I bought a gymboss that was going to keep up with my running ratios so that I could run Gallwoay style the entire race. I met up with a fellow runner, Karen who was running her 1st marathon today. She asked me what my time was that I was shooting for and I told her somewhere around 5 hours and she asked if she could run with me. I told her for sure so that she could keep me encouraged. When were on track until the last couple of miles where our mile splits started to fall off about 45 seconds per mile. When we hit mile 25 and saw the clock, it said we would have to run an 8 minute mile to finish under 5 hours. Well I was disappointed for a few minutes but then realized that I was running with someone who was going to complete her 1st ever marathon. My emotions quickly turned from being mad to being happy. I told Karen at mile 26 that a man told me at the same exact spot to finish strong cause now you are a marathoner. I was happy to look at Karen and tell her the exact same thing.

April is now here and it looks as if I am going to do it. Another one of my running friends Melissa was going to run the Country Music Marathon with me and she told me that she wanted to try and finish a race under 6 hours. I told her that I would be glad to pace her if she would just run when I told her to run and walk when I tell her to walk. She agreed to do it and the challenge was on. The morning of the race we were told of BAD weather coming in and that we would have to hit mile 12 with a pace around 4:30 to complete the marathon or we would be told to finish the half. I was furious. 9 months of training and racing for mother nature to throw me a curve ball so that I could not reach my goal. I have worked so hard and so long to finish it. We were off and running and the weather looked great. No rain with sunny skies. We made it to mile 6 and I asked a police officer if they were still going to close the course and he said it would stay open until lightening started. I had made up my mind I was going to finish my journey. And then it hit at mile 12. One of the race official stepped out on the course about 20 yards in front of me and told me to finish on the half. The weather was coming in and it was getting dangerous. I was very upset. All my training shot down the tubes. My little buddy Austin, Mandie and her mom and step dad was waiting for me at the finish line. I was not happy but I was glad to see them. It was time to go the the Waffle House.

When I got home I looked on the Marathon Maniac site to see that some of the runner who needed this run to finish a journey to obtain a new star or be part of the 50 States club met at 9 a.m. at the finish line and ran the miles that they missed. They were going to turn in the 2 times to Country Music officials and see if they would give them a finishing time on the marathon. I thought I would give it a try also. I mean I got the medal so the least I could do is the distance so off I went to complete my miles. I emailed the director with my times and now it was going to be a waiting game.

The wait is no more. It is official that CMM accepted my challenge and so did Marathon Maniacs. I have officially moved up another star to Silver status but most of all I finished a goal that took me over 3 states, 262 miles of racing through all kinds of weather and a life time of memories that I will never forget. Thank you to all that helped me reach my goals. Now it is time to reach new borders and accomplish things that I have never done before. I have signed up to compete in the Augusta 70.3 Half-Ironman which consist of 1.2 mile swim, 56 miles on the bike and running 13.1 in under 8 hours. Also I have signed up to be a group leader in the Galloway program for the Chickamauga marathon.

To some people this journey of mine might not seem like anything spectacular, but for me it was like trying climb a mountain with a broken leg.