What's My Story?

Marcus Grimm "tagged" me, which I guess means I am supposed to answer these running questions that someone else had asked him.

Here goes:

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?

In 1998 I was planning to run my first marathon, the Silicon Valley Marathon on October 25th. I was running an occasional 10K, happy to just be in the pack somewhere, but dreaming of getting faster, remembering I used to be faster.
I wasn't putting in a lot of miles. A couple of 12 mile runs were my longest training runs before the marathon.
I've considered myself a runner since junior high, but for months at a time between the ages of 21 and 39, I was a lapsed runner.
About the middle of 1997 I became more consistent, and I've remained that way since.
My lapses in running are measured in days now, not weeks and months.

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?

I tend to see "bad" experiences as just experiences. I get disappointed, and I find a way to frame it in my mind so I get over it. It's hard to single out one thing as the most awful experience.
There have been several times that I've run past collapsed runners being treated by EMTs. That's a very disconcerting thing. It puts a cloud over the race for me and makes it hard to simply celebrate the finish.

3. What is your best race experience?

Every year my family gets together for the Big Sur Marathon Relay. It's a wonderful race on a magnificent course. I'm happy to go back there every year with people I love.
If I could name a second choice, and I can because no one is going to stop me, I would mention the Twin Cities Marathon.
At the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, I was selected by Medtronic as a “Global Hero.” They picked about a dozen people whose lives had been improved by medical technology, and sponsored their participation in the race. They also gave me a gear bag stuffed with cool stuff and a big, beautiful trophy.
Twin Cities really is “America's most beautiful urban marathon,” at least as far as I can tell so far.

4. Why do you run?

I like to run. This question is asked way too often.
I just run because I enjoy running. And I race because I enjoy racing, in spite of not being all that good at it.
Running is certainly a healthy hobby, and that is especially important to me as a diabetic. Running may have helped me avoid some of the possible complications of diabetes.
But if you can picture in your mind a child running, laughing, when there is no reason to run, that's the feeling. That's why I run.

5. What is the best or worst piece of advice you’ve been given about running?

I was explaining my problems to someone who wanted to help me train to qualify for Boston. I told her that I usually did very well through the first 20 miles then struggled through the last 6.
She volunteered to get me fast enough in the first 20 miles that it wouldn't matter how slow I went after that.
I quickly decided she was not the person to take advice from.

6. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.

That just doesn't sound like a good thing to do on the internet. :-)
How's this:
My tubing is 43 inches long.
Another one:
I usually have a third nipple.

I think that tradition has it that I am supposed to "tag" others, but I'm not going to buy into this pyramid scheme. There may be a tag I want to pass on someday, but this isn't it.

Medtronic Global Heroes Program open to all ages

Here is an email I got from a Medtronic representative:

Hello, Jerry

Thank you for your previous comments regarding the Medtronic Global Heroes program and its guideline related to runners with diabetes.

As promised, Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. and Medtronic committed to review and re-evaluate this guideline following the close of the 2008 program applications. We thought you would like to know that we are removing this guideline for the 2009 program.

Of course, runner safety remains the primary concern of both Twin Cities Marathon, Inc. and the Medtronic Foundation. However, our organizations agree with feedback from the Global Hero selection committee that the current application and registration process ensures runner safety without applying the age restrictions.

Future selections will rely on an applicant’s personal running and health history, along with that runner’s physician approval, as the primary determinant, not age or disease longevity.

Again, we thank you for your feedback and concern with this program and hope you will consider referring others that would enjoy the Global Heroes experience.

No Age Restrictions on Global Heroes 2009

I have learned that there will be no age restrictions on applying to the Global Heroes program in 2009. I'll post here again as soon as I have confirmation.
I'm pretty happy about this. Now I have to figure out if there is something else I want to do with this blog.