A Radical Goal

John Carroll is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2011 so there are lots of celebrations going on during the year. One of the priests who is really into running has put a challenge out to the community to see if we can get 125 people to run the Cleveland marathon, 1/2 marathon or 10K on May 15. So, I've happily joined this group. We are getting jerseys and there is a small fund raising part too. It is a neat thing. The priest who is organizing this sends us weekly motivational things to keep us training and inspired to keep going. I just got one this morning and I was blown away by it and I just wanted to share it. The priest had asked this hard-core runner guy to write a little bit about his running journey and I'll share part of it here...

He is currently a 54-year-old man, but he began his running journey on his 36th birthday feeling overweight. He decided to run 3 miles during lunch. He only made it for running for one mile and ran a 10:12 pace and then walked the other two. He continued running over the next three years during lunch for 3 miles and ended up losing 30 pounds. He started increasing his distance running with others for 4-6 miles outside. He ran his first marathon in Cleveland in 1999 and has run 52 others since. No, that is not a typo - I said fifty-two. Here are his current race totals: 53 marathons, 3-50K's and 2-50 milers. Oh, in addition in 2008 and 2009 combined he ran a total of 20 marathons. OMG.

What makes this story so unbelievable in addition to the sheer number of miles this man has run, is that he doesn't look at all like a "typical runner". He is a little stocky and you would never guess just by looking at him that he is a hard core runner.

I never thought I would or could run a 5K and now I'm training for 1/2 marathon. Now, some of us will never run a marathon or maybe even a mile or maybe don't even want to. But, my question is, what goal do you have that is just out of the realm of possibility for you? What is just so radical that would make you say right now, "no way, I could never do that"? Really think about it. Now, let me say to you...I double-dog-dare you...