#1 Lesson Learned while/from Running

It's supposed to be fun. And it is most of the time. OK, the last hour of a marathon isn't that much fun.

Running hurt off and on for almost two years until the beginning of this year robbed me of a lot of the joy I got from running. But then it came back. And I am really grateful.

I have seen some crazy places along the way. Experienced some great highs, like the last couple miles of a marathon once I know I am going to finish strong; like my first race; fall leaves swirling around me on a sunny windy day on the lakefront; a winter morning run when all of a sudden the wind drops and loosens its icy grip and I break free into a full on sprint; running the first mile of a 5K just over 7 minutes not knowing I could even do that; then realizing in the second mile that was a huge mistake; but rallying for the last 1.1 for a PR; bonding with friends, colleagues, and strangers on training runs and races; using marathon training as an excuse to eat badly and too much; and seeing my daughter start to get the running bug herself.

Great sport. A great decade since I embarked on this journey. Sometime next year, I break the 10,000 mile mark. Hope to make it the equivalent of round the world before I hang 'em up.

See you all in 2012.