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Sorry - KR was down yesterday and this is my 1st opportunity to login today.<br><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Sorry this is a little verbose.</span><br><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">1. Why do you run?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Several reasons.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">To start with, six years ago I hit my all time heaviest weight (30 pounds heavier than I am now). Since I don't like shopping, something had to give because my clothes weren’t fitting anymore. I was also in a real dark place physically and mentally – career, self image, etc which eventually led to thoughts about whether or not the married life was really for me…not a healthy place to be for sure. My outlet at the time was to play basketball and lift weights but my knees were hurting so badly from the extra weight that I ended up being shelved more and more often rather than actually doing something about it – so the weight continued to pile on. I crash dieted on Atkins and lost a bunch of weight but still it crept back over the next year+. The following year, I handed off the commish role in the basketball league and was searching for my next outlet. A real good friend (Scooter) asked if I wanted to run a 5M Thanksgiving race in 2002. I had never run a race longer than 3.5 miles nor had I run more than 6 miles out of shear necessity (to get the keys to my car). So, I went for it. Before I knew it, I had signed up for a 10 miler, a 10K and then a 16 mile race in January. Scoot had brought me this far so I figured if I could run 16 miles in January, what was stopping me from running 26.2 in April?</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I ran my first marathon that following spring. Hardest thing I had ever done to that point in my life…but totally worth it.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I have been athletic my whole life and really enjoy the camaraderie and competition of team sports. Since the opportunity for competitive team sports is somewhat hampered by age, injury, available time and sometimes opportunity...or dare I say desire, running has really helped to fill that void. Instead of my primary competition being another team or an individual on that team, I have found a whole new game in competing against myself. Running has really helped me push my personal limits – mentally and physically. I am continuously learning lessons about my body, how to prepare and care for it, how to heal it, how to read it, how I look at it, what works and what doesn’t. Running also makes me feel good. I think we all have to admit there’s a little bit of vanity we can all enjoy as a side benefit from running.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Running is portable.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And, what else is 90% physical, ½ mental and another majority percentage social?</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2. What is your greatest accomplishment?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Had you asked me this question a year ago; I don’t know what I would have said. Probably raising ~$25K for the awesome charity I have helped support by running Boston the past 5 years – ’08 will be my 6th. Now I can say it’s starting a family – she’s 8 weeks old and since her birth redefined 'the best day of my life', I think it also defined my greatest accomplishment.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3. What is your motto/theme song?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I don't think I really have one. I'm really whimsical about mottos and theme songs – if it sounds good, I go with it. I plagiarize them, I steal them and then I forget them. I’m all ears…got a good one for me?</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">4. How do you deal with bad runs?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I use my <i>less satisfying</i> runs as motivation towards a good run. I don't think that bad runs really exist. Granted, I feel better on some runs than I do on others, but pulling even the smallest positive thread or a lesson learned from any/all runs (just like in life) helps me to keep putting one foot in front of the other.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The bad runs are the ones I don’t get to experience.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">5. Do you reward yourself for good runs? How?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">No doubt. Other than the satisfaction of ripping off a good run – be it at a good pace, a good sweat, killing a really hilly course, running with a friend, seeing new or beautiful scenery, smelling the Concord grapes in October, seeing cool wildlife, solving a problem, clearing my mind or whatever made it a good run – I eat. Or, I drink. Or, I just bask in it. No one else in my family runs so they think I'm nuts and don't quite understand the endorphin high. I don’t do drugs, so this is my drug. A good run is a reward in and of itself.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">6. Who do you admire most?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Before 10/18/07 I would have said my parents (they will always be tops on my list).</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Or, for an inspirational/admirable 'celebrity', I would have said Jackie Robinson.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">But, after 10/18 I'd have to say it's my wife for enduring what she did. Pregnancy and birth are amazing processes.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">7. What is the greatest advice you have ever received?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">“You have the rest of your life to work.”</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">This advice takes a long time to sink in. I still don’t know if it’s settled in yet.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">8. What do wish you had learned younger?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Oh my, so many different directions I could take this one but I’ll pull my mind out of the gutter. See #7 I guess. Also, that I shouldn’t have worried about what other people thought of me. Just be myself and the confidence/good times will come. Also, travel when you can – especially before ‘real’ responsibility sets in. Traveling broke is acceptable and can probably be fun (something I never did).</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">9. What do you wish you could do but can't?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Well, since having sex with a Victoria’s Secret model is out of the question (can’t = contrary to some vows I took 11+ years ago)…</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Sorry, I’ll get back on track…</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Fly. Play piano/guitar. Dunk a basketball (regulation hoop – I did it once 15 years ago). Travel back in time.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">10. How would your friends describe your personality?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Loyal, trustworthy, affable, hard working</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">11. What do you wear running? favorite outfit?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Since I prefer 50ish overcast degrees – shorts, wicking short sleeve shirt (don't really have a favorite of the 50 that I own), Brooks Adrenaline GTS, Wright anklet socks and sunglasses. I usually don’t run with my iPod – I’d rather hear the sounds of my run. Depending on the length of my run, I’ll usually wear shorts down to the upper 30’s. Longer runs I’ll wear pants if it is in the 30’s (tights aren’t tops on my list). I feel really slow in pants.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">12. What has been your favorite race?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Mt Washington. It hurts, but the reward is tremendous.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Sick, huh? It's the race I really look forward to because it's very specialized. It's also a very New Hampshire race.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I also love RTB. I met some awesome people whom I keep in touch with – more so than some of my long time friends. I need to experience more diverse races in different areas of the country and look forward to traveling to other states to run/race. I’d love to come back to this question in 5 years and see where I stand.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">13. Do you have a goal race right now?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Several – the next being the Hangover Classic 10K (Salisbury, MA) - even if I'm not shooting for a PR. The real goal is not to freeze my ass off partaking in the ocean plunge at the finish line. Any takers?</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Beyond that - Derry Boston Prep 16-miler, Half at the Hamptons, Eastern States 20-miler, Great Bay 1/2 marathon and Boston.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Beyond that - the Jay 1/2 marathon(?)</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">14. What makes you happy?</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Seeing DD smile.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Not having a single thought of work enter my brain.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">LBI.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Long vacations.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Good friends, good times and helping others who are <span style="text-decoration:underline;">truly</span> in need.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Hearing new runners experience a milestone (i.e., their first 5K, marathon, etc) – the excitement, observations, sensations, etc really help boost my motivation and affection for running.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Putting down some good miles.</span><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">15. Tell us one interesting thing about you that you haven't said (at least not often) on this forum in the past.</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Umph...I'm stumped.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Let's see, I played D1 college baseball. Nah, whoopee. Although, I did get to play one game in Fenway Park.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I used to <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1817/2043/1600/rake1.jpg" target="_blank"><span>rake</span></a> blueberries in Downeast Maine to earn money for high school/college – so the next time you bite into that blueberry pancake or muffin made with real wild Maine blueberries, some of my sweat might be included. Nah.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Before we had our first, I was asked to be a surrogate father twice. That went over like a fart in church…although I was definitely intrigued.</span><br><br><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">16. Tell us one interesting thing about another user of this forum that has not been posted (at least not often) on this forum in the past (make sure the other person will not object to posting the info!).</span></b><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Sorry, I'm a steel trap. People coming to me with rumors or secrets about someone/something else looking for more gossip or stories are usually quite disappointed. I don't give 'em up. In my book, trust is a most valuable asset and is worth its weight in gold. It's something you have to earn...even if it is 'virtual' trust. (Quite honestly, no one on this forum has really told me anything juicy to really answer this question – I’d probably forget it anyway.) And to date, I have only met 2 other KRs – both of whom are super high-caliber individuals.</span><br><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Good stuff going on in here! Thanks to everyone for playing. These have been some great reads.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Good runs all.</span><br><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Cheers</span>
