I remember my first marathon four years ago. I had trained for an entire year, lost 65 pounds and hit the wall at 18 miles. I finished with my entire family cheering me on and sat around thinking about how hard I worked and how proud I was to accomplish something big!!!

Last year, my wife surprised me with a great gift. The first part involved entry into the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon. The second part was that my sister, Kirsten, was going to run with me. She wasn’t officially a runner but I’m sure she had spent some time on the treadmill before this. What was supposed to be a half marathon turned into a full when I selectively listened to my wife and happened to “not hear” the half and just heard marathon. Not one to back out, she dutifully accepted the challenge.

With some advice from me and I’m sure plenty of advice from her husband Jonathan (who had previously completed a marathon), she set a course to get ready for January 10, 2010.

Her first goal was to run a marathon relay at the Fargo Marathon back in May. Her and the Cobber Chicks kicked some arse and she caught the running bug. Not satisfied with only running 6 1/2 miles, her next step in this journey was the Dick Beardsley 1/2 Marathon in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. She finished in glorious fashion in just under 2:07 and I couldn’t have been more proud!!!

This has set us up to where we are now…four days away from her first marathon!!! I’ve always tried to encourage people to run. I know what kind of difference it’s made in my life and more specifically my health, and if there’s a way I can get one more person to walk out the door and start running, I’ve done my part. Hopefully she’ll be a runner for life – if I have any say about it!!!

The fact that I actually get to run with her is an honor and I know that when we cross that finish line, there will be tears shed. Kirst, I’m so proud of you and I can’t wait to celebrate your first marathon it just 4 days!!!

RMFR

I’ve talked before about inspiring people to run and being inspired by others. Today is one of those days where as a runner, I’m inspired…as a sibling, I couldn’t be more proud!!!

I haven’t relayed the full story yet so here it goes. Last Christmas, my wife and kids paid for my registration for January’s Walt Disney World Marathon. The added bonus was that my sister, Kirsten, was going to start running this year and join me in the race. My wife and sister had come up with the surprise and what wasn’t told to me was that it was supposed to be the 1/2 marathon.

After I registered for the full marathon, I emailed/called (I can’t recall which) my sister and told her I was all registered and excited to run with her. To her surprise I registered for the full marathon and not the 1/2 marathon she was expecting. Since I had already signed up, she cowboy’d up and did the same.

Fast forward to today, my sister just completed her first 1/2 marathon – the Dick Beardsley 1/2 Marathon in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Not only did she finish, but she did great finishing in 2:06:59 (only 4+ minutes off of my time).

Congratulations Kirsten!!! Only 4 months until you’ll finish your first full marathon and I can’t wait to share in the experience!!!