The Miles Keep Adding Up...

One peculiar aspect of distance runners/racers is their ideosynchratic manner for collecting data; training split times, calorie counts, heart monitor recordings, illness/injury patterns, weekly and total mileage... and while I like to be more "philosophical" about my running, I inadvertently have fallen into this group over the years as well.

From time to time, I will go back and reflect on my running patterns to find possible causes for present injuries, aches, conditions that manifested themselves in patterns formed over a year ago. And in looking over the past 6 years, I was able to "crunch the numbers" and discover the following: Over the past 6 years (2006-2011), I will have accumulated over 10,000 total miles. Yes, you read that right: 10,000 total miles. By my estimation, by mid August I will reach the 10,000-mile mark. Over the past 6 years, I will have averaged 35 miles per week.

In light of the repetition of 6's and 1's (i.e. Roger Maris' 61 mark, the NYC marathon on Nov. 6, 160-mile average per month, etc.), I thought it only appropriate that I would reach this mark during my training for the 2011 New York City Marathon.

I do want to thank you for your support over the years - through your charity donations, your well wishes and your prayers. Almost all of my miles have been offered up as prayer for others and many of you have been there with me in spirit. And I will continue to do the same until the day I can't run anymore. In the meantime, please join me (at least, vicariously) on this journey and these adventures... and I hope our paths cross on the sidewalks and roads of the upper Midwest.