Operation Jack Marathon Recap, Part 1

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Sam

I don’t blog much any more — I don’t have much time and I’ve been waaaaaay too busy with work the second half of this year. But I feel like I need to get something up, if for nothing other than to post this video that ran on the ABC station in Los Angeles yesterday:

I LOVED this piece. You know why? It didn’t even acknowledge my existence! I ran all those marathons last year because I figured I could raise money and awareness for Train 4 Autism. I was right, and I was interviewed a lot. Every story was all about a guy running a lot of marathons. This one, though, was about Jack and the cause. It was all about people coming out and running a race to raise money and fight autism. Read more »

Categories: Autism, Causes/Fundraising, Race Reports | 4 Comments

Last Call To Get In On The Satellite Runs!

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Sam

We’re having our annual satellite runs on Monday and while I haven’t pushed them too much, I wanted to push it one more time since it’s turning into an annual event. Last year, I ran 61 marathons in an endeavor I named Operation Jack. I did it in honor of my 8-year-old son Jack, who is severely autistic. For the final race, we hosted a marathon. Lots of y’all participated in satellite runs across the country on the same day. It was a great day and collectively, we raised about $25,000 to help fight autism.

Well, we’re doing it again! Monday is basically Operation Jack Day. There are 25 soldiers in Kabul, Afghanistan participating in a satellite marathon. We’ve got about 30 people participating in a satellite marathon/half-marathon in Houston. I need to check about participation about our Operation Jack Northwest Challenge in Portland, Oreg., but that event had about 70 participants last year. The signature event, the Operation Jack Marathon in Manhattan Beach, Calif., will have about 350 participants, up considerably from the 135 who started the race last year. Read more »

Categories: Autism, Causes/Fundraising | 2 Comments

It’s Satellite Season!

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Sam

It’s been a looonnnnnnggggg time since I’ve blogged. If you could take my life, stick it in a blender, add in about 30 ingredients and then mix it at the highest speed for, say, three months, the result would be me, right here, right now. Fighting autism is still a big passion of mine, as it was last year when I ran 61 marathons to raise money for Train 4 Autism.

The last of those 61 marathons was the Operation Jack Marathon, which was intended to be a one-time race but went over so well that we’ve turned it into an annual event and you can participate no matter where you are! Read more »

Categories: Uncategorized | 4 Comments

I’ll Tell You Why; You Tell Me Why Not

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Sam

Long time no write! I really haven’t blogged since July, more-or-less. I’ve been beyond busy and have barely had time to sleep, let alone blog. Since July, when I ran the San Francisco Marathon to raise money to fight cancer, I’ve been buried with side work beyond my full-time job, I’ve struggled to get back physically with my running (still not myself and it’s been, what, 10 weeks?), and we’ve put our house up for sale.

I’ve done something else that I really want to talk about though, something that’s also sitting nice and heavy on my plate but I’m really excited about. I’ve added another Operation Jack race! I’m putting on the Richard Leary 6-Hour Challenge on October 30 (with satellite option!) to benefit TAPS and Train 4 Autism and I figured it’s about time I start telling everybody about it! (REGISTER HERE!) Read more »

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Picturing Regression

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Sam

I’m not going to get into a lot of writing for this blog. I think the pictures I’m posting will say enough. Just in case you’ve never been to this site, I’m a father of three and a marathon runner. My middle child, 7-year-old Jack, is severely autistic. I decided I wanted to do something to try to make a difference so in 2010, I ran 61 full marathons to raise money for a charity I’m proud to be a part of called Train 4 Autism.

For a while, I used to think Jack never regressed, that he just never got there. It’s all been a blur for the past six years and I don’t really remember. But after looking at some pictures of him recently, I’m thinking my memory was off. It’s really hard to think about this, and I really don’t want to get on a big soapbox about vaccines, but it’s really hard to look at these pictures and think that we might have done this to him and ruined his life.

I’m not anti-vaccines. But I think you should be safe about them. Make sure your kiddo can handle them. That’s all I’m saying (for now).

Jack pot!

Read more »

Categories: Autism, Jack | 5 Comments

San Francisco Marathon Race Recap

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Sam

My race report for the 2011 San Francisco Marathon is probably going to be unlike any race report I’ve ever written, because the race was unlike any other I’ve ever run — from the time I made the decision to run it, through the training and then the actual race. Going in, I wrote that it was going to be my toughest marathon ever, and 11 hours after crossing the finish line, I’m having a hard time thinking of any of my previous 93 that wore me down more physically and mentally than this one. Read more »

Categories: Beat Cancer, Race Reports | 17 Comments

My Toughest Marathon Ever

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Sam

Click here to get a $50 gift card with a pledge of about $40 to help me fight cancer.

On Sunday, I’ll be running the San Francisco Marathon. It’ll be the 94th time I’ve laced my shoes up for a 26.2-mile footrace and I’m pretty sure this one’s going to be tougher than any of the others I’ve ever run. Granted, San Francisco isn’t a fast, flat course. There are plenty of hills and it’s anything but easy (as if there’s an easy marathon out there). But the reason this one’s going to be tough isn’t the course. It’s Sue. Read more »

Categories: Beat Cancer, Causes/Fundraising | 3 Comments

It’s Marathon Week, So I’m Not Eating Carbs

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Sam

Six days from today, I’m running the San Francisco Marathon. I’ll need all the energy I can to run the best 26.2 miles I possibly can. So, I haven’t had any carbs since Friday night and I won’t have any until Thursday morning. If you think that’s a typo, it’s not. Before a goal race, which is what Sunday is for me, I carb deplete for five days. Five long days. Five long, miserable days. Five long, miserable, terrible days. Read more »

Categories: Beat Cancer, Causes/Fundraising, Running/Training | Leave a comment

The Things You Do For Your Kids

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Sam

I would do anything for my daughter Ava. I’d play with Barbies. I’d go to prison. And now, apparently, I’m coaching an AYSO U6 (5-year-olds) soccer team. I’ve never played soccer. And I’ve never coached anything. This should be … fun. Read more »

Categories: Uncategorized | 6 Comments

An Unpleasant Surprise

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Sam

This is a big, fast world, and so much of your experience is determined by who you come in contact with. I always tell Tiff that my life will be defined by the fact that I met her and married her, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve met a lot of people through my running adventures over the past few years, especially last year. I feel pretty blessed to have been led down the roads I’ve been on and to have met all the people I’ve met. Read more »

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