For all those of you itching for another Mike Valliant-style challenge, I have one cooked up for you. Though this one is personal, it can easily be adapted to the distance and the theme of your choosing. I have never placed too much emphasis on birthdays, but I am certainly not against them. It is just that I don't like ascribing too much meaning to a given birthday milestone. Sure if something like this (are you reading this Megan) showed up on my doorstep I wouldn't send it back, but I would rather do something that I really enjoy on a birthday than fret about where my years are going.
This summer I am turning 36, and I have decided to mark this birthday with a run to match my years in miles. I have already run the idea (sorry about that one but I couldn't help it) by Mike, who also turned 36 this spring, and he seems game. (Go figure) So now I am opening it up to anyone else who wants to join in for all, some, or none of it. You can join us at any point along the route to run with, walk with, throw stuff at, heckle, or hand off water or food. Pick your distance and join in. Don't feel constrained by the 36 theme. We are running on 33 so you can run 33 miles instead, or 3.3, or just hang out in Oxford to ride the ferry across the river. You get the idea.
The tentative run date is July 10th which is a Thursday. We will leave early at a time yet to be determined in Tilghman and work our way through St Michaels to Easton, then out to Oxford. We will either end in Oxford or take the ferry to Bellevue then run to my parents' house and take a much deserved soak in their pool. My guess is that we will depart Tilghman in the 3's. That is around or about 3 a.m. for those still with me. Any and all are welcome to join us for some of it. Posting this makes it harder for me to come to my senses and bail on the idea. This will indeed be a challenge for me because I have never run more than a marathon ever. The heat will likely be significant, but running so early in the day will hopefully help. Feel free to offer support or heckling in the comments.
--landy
2 comments:
As a fellow 36'er (gotta love the year of the rat, 1972) and being of questionable sanity, I am all in. I am partially to blame for the route as well--telling Landy that running from Tilghman to Oxford, the long way around would be an accomplishment. I think slow and steady is the key. And I do worry that you are establishing a progressively more difficult precedent ;). Needless to say, I love it!
As long as I'm around, I expect to join you guys for at least part of the run...running 50k this month should be a good indicator of how 36 will feel...I have to admit, Megan tipped me off that you had this idea when I ran a couple miles with her a few weeks ago...looking forward to joining you guys some mornings soon during the week too.
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