Weekend one of Operation Jack is out of the way. Now it’s time for me to try to figure out how to get into a routine to make it happen. Make no mistake, it’ll happen. But there’s going to be growing pains I’m going to suffer through. If you keep coming back and reading my blog, you’ll get to laugh at me along the way.
I guess my biggest problem with the first trip was overpacking. I’m a chronic overpacker, but at least I got it down to two carry-ons. They’re two pretty big carry-ons, though, and as a result, I had to cram my duffel bag beneath my seat. Not so bad on the way out. Not so good on the way back, considering I flew the same day as the race. My left leg was killing me! I’m going to have a good 40+ same-day flights this year, so I’d better figure this out pretty quick. Like, this week. I’ve got Jackson, Miss. on Saturday and Mobile, Ala. on Sunday. I’ll be sore after the double, and I’m flying home Mobile to Atlanta to Los Angeles, so I’m gonna have a lot of time on the plane.
I’ll get this problem solved. I bought a new backpack on Saturday that will hold my laptop and everything else that was in the duffel bag. It’s much smaller with less wasted space. That was easy. Sort of.
Can’t wait to see what the next problem is!
First Time Here?
If this is your first time here, let me introduce myself: I’m a father of three and a marathon runner. My middle child, 6-year-old Jack, is severely autistic. I want to do something to make a difference in his honor, so this year, I’m going to try to run 60 marathons and raise awareness for a charity I’m a part of called Train 4 Autism. I really like Train 4 Autism’s model and I’m hoping that with my stupid-human trick, I can help develop new chapters and increase membership nationwide. Oh, and raise a lot of money, too!
1 Down, 59 To Go
Marathon No. 1 for Operation Jack was New Year’s Day in Kingwood, Texas. I didn’t send out a blast, but my recap on my race is here. I went 3:13:54, good for 7th overall out of 497 starters. It was a decent run. Still getting back into shape. I think I shook off some more rust.
I went out for 5.5 recovery miles the next day, including six hill sprints. Yesterday was a rest day because I donated blood on Saturday and had to take a day off (see below). This morning, 6 easy miles that felt pretty good. I kind of like this plan.
Thank You, Hill Family!
I stayed with a runner friend of mine, John Hill, and his family last Thursday night in Kingwood, Texas. I must say, if everybody the rest of the way is half as nice as John and his great family, I’m going to be a lucky guy this year. His wife, Susan, his daughter, Kaylee, and his son, Ryan, are three of the nicest people I’ve ever met and I really couldn’t have picked a better family to kick off Operation Jack with. They’re the types of people you keep in touch with, because someday down the road, they’ll be in town and you’ll want to catch up with them.
Thank you so much for your hospitality and enthusiasm, Team Hill! I really, really appreciated it!
Make A Difference … For Free!
I just started giving blood last summer. I figure it’s better to be on this side of a blood transfusion. I hate needles. But I just feel like it’s something I should do. I started doing it on July 27 in honor of my late uncle Bob, who died from leukemia on July 27, 2004. Well, now it’s a little trickier, because I need to be at full strength every weekend and it takes five weeks to regenerate a pint of blood.
It’s really not that big of a deal while you’re getting it all back. You wouldn’t really even notice. Unless, of course, you’re running 26.2 miles as fast as you can every Sunday. I wouldn’t necessarily feel different, but I wouldn’t get the same results. So, I did something called platelet donation. It’s a longer process (it takes about two hours), but I recover in two days. I learned that the platelets go to people with leukemia who are undergoing chemotherapy, because they can’t generate them and they need them. So, that made me feel pretty good. I really, really hate needles. But I really feel good about doing this and I’ll do it as often as I can.
Regardless of how much you don’t like needles, you should really consider it. It’s awesome to help, and it feels really good to do so.
That’s All For Today!
This blog is getting too long today. I’ll try to write something for tomorrow! Have a great Monday!
Katie Abdolhosseini says
Awesome run! Very cool way to kick off the year and Operation Jack! I am an overpacker too, good luck with that one!
Have a great week!
Ally Phillips says
That’s awesome that you donate blood regularly–I was a preemie and survived by a TON of blood donations–my momma almost died from complications and she had transfustions too. Without that, we would have both died. That’s awesome of you.
Glad your first race went well.
Happy Monday!
Melissa G says
Congratulations on your first OJ run! You can do this. I’m proud of your hard work and everything you’re doing to help children with autism.
Ben Fesagaiga says
GREAT JOB SAM! 59 to go!
BEn Fesagaiga
TRAIN 4 AUTISM
Ben Fesagaiga says
GREAT JOB SAM! 59 to go!
BEn Fesagaiga
TRAIN 4 AUTISM
Jen Morgan says
Great start to the year, now about that packing… LOL!
Great job on donating, you know that’s actually something I hadn’t thought of and will now put on my list of things to do this year. I really want to make 2010 count and give back more! Thanks for the idea!
Off to read the race recap! Sounds like a decent start for sure! Congrats!