Running the Marine Corps Marathon to raise money to help the homeless

As you are no doubt aware, I have registered to run this years Marine Corps. Marathon on the 27th of October.

Everyday, I am aware of how fortunate I am.  I have a wonderful job, a great family and a fantastic town house that I rent.  I am also aware that there are many people who do NOT have all of these things.  In order to change someone’s life – the first step to long-term change must be housing.

Homelessness affects people who started in all walks of life. With out a
place to lay your head, it can be hard to find a job, support a family
and even find healthy food to eat.



Volunteers of America Chesapeake helps fight homelessness in Virginia, Maryland and Washington  D.C..  From the Lighthouse Center in Virginia Beach, to the Hilda Barg Homeless Prevention Center in Northern Virginia, and the Transitional Housing programs in Baltimore – VOA Chesapeake is helping those that need it the most every single day.

Please consider donating to this wonderful cause, and help make a difference. Show that you were Called to Care!

If you would like to make a donation, please go to: http://www.hthwalks.org/goto/runningthemcm

If you are running the Marine Corps Marathon and would like to help me raise money for Volunteer’s of America Chesapeake’s homeless services programs, please contact me at onceandfuturerunner@gmail.com.

 

Lake Montebello and Herring Run Trail, Baltimore MD

Once again it was my turn to drive the boys up to the Maryland State Boychoir practice.  I have been lucky enough to carpool with another parent - which means I only have to drive every other week!    Since I have a couple of hours to kill - it's the perfect time to go for a run!

I thought I would try something different, and research the areas I was going to run.  I am all to aware, that in Baltimore you can be in a wonderful neighborhood, and two blocks later enter a not-so-wonderful neighborhood.   I did a quick google of crime in Herring Run Park and didn't find any recent murders/rapes/assaults. (Hey, in a city like Baltimore, you expect SOME.)  I planned a quick run up to Lake Montebello and the Herring Run trail.  I thought a nice 3-4 miles would be in order for the night.

It was raining and misty, so I ended up overdressed as I had rain-gear on... Then it didn't rain while I ran.

The run itself felt nice.  I kept with my recent plan, and just let my body determine the speed, although I tried to slow it down a bit for mile 2..  The initial run up to the lake from the MSB center was all through nice neighborhoods (nice enough, I probably couldn't afford a house there) and the people nodded their heads back at me when I initiated it. <-- My indicator of whether or not a neighborhood is friendly.

[caption id="attachment_2582" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Picture from http://abikeinbaltimore.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html[/caption]

Reflections

This is my 300th post on this blog.

Today I'm not going to be posting about running, and not just because yesterday was a Rest Day.  With it being a mile stone, it seems a good time to stop and look at life in general.  I heard a line on the radio (NPR, in "In Which Way, a War Photographer in his Element") this morning that got my mind working.

"You are rich because you have the power to determine your future, and most of the world doesn't."

We are rich.  We have so many choices in life, that even when most of us think life is hard, that we are at a "low" point - we are so much richer than most people in the world.  We have choices and opportunities that most people in the world can't imagine.  We raise our families and can put our kids in programs that our grandparents couldn't have envisioned if they tried.  It isn't just these things that make us rich either.  There are so many things beyond money.

Me?  When I look at the world in general, I have to admit - I am wealthy beyond all imagining.

[caption id="attachment_2560" align="aligncenter" width="490"] My amazing family - last weekend in front of the white house.[/caption]

Running through Baltimore while the choirs sing

Monday nights are normally not a running night for me as my son has chorus practice.   The monday schedule involves ending my work day a tad early, pick the little chorister up from karate, head to his practice in Baltimore (with a side trip of 40 minutes to pick up the car-pooling buddy), sit though practice, then head home (After dropping the car-pooling buddy off.)  I leave for work at 7:45, and get back hoe around 10:30.   Needless to say, I am not going to go run at 10:30 at night.  Call me lazy.

Tonight, I followed through on a better plan than just sitting on my butt while the boys sang.  While I was at home getting some food into the boy (mmmm. Corn Dogs.) before heading off to get the car-pooling buddy, I changed into my running clothes.  I thought that while my son was exercising his voice, I could exercise by  running around Baltimore!  My only real concern was that I didn't know Baltimore.  This gave me a slight level of  fear that I might run into a neighborhood that I had no business being in.  My wife seemed to share this concern as she informed me I WOULD  asked me very nicely if I would call her when I finished running.   Of course I assured her that not only would I do so, but I would also be very careful about where I went. (Though I have to admit, I'm not sure how you tell that you shouldn't be in a neighborhood before you are...)

New Running Buddy?

Monday Nights my son has his choir practice for the Maryland State Boychoir up in Baltimore.  Its not too bad of a hike from Crofton

[caption id="attachment_1971" align="alignright" width="278"] Bryce in his Choir Robes[/caption]

(where I live),just about a 40 minute drive (in the 5:30 traffic.)  I spend the two hours that he is practicing, hanging  out in a comfy room with couches and I get to read for 2 hours.  I have tossed around the idea of going running during this weekly block of time, but I don't know Baltimore.  This becomes VERY important due to an interesting quality that the city has.  You can be in a fantastic neighborhood, nice houses, nice cars, etc, yet when you walk two blocks you can find yourself in a neighborhood where you fear to stop for a red light, let alone travel through on foot in the dark!

I would like to keep "not being mugged" on my bucket list, so this has kept my Monday runs to being a nice morning run, rather than using my evening time

Race Report: Charm City Run - New Years Resolution Run

So this morning, I thought that the best way to start Janathon - was with a 5k I found on the internet.  The Charm City Run - New Years resolution Run (Charm City Run is a chain of stores).  I headed up to Baltimore to the St. Elizabeth of Hungary church hall to get registered.  It seems that I wasn't the only one with this idea!  It was nice that they had two helpers right at the foot of the stairs directing you where to go and gt your registration form.  Unfortunately, after that - you were left to guess.  There was one helpful person working the registration table that was sending everyone to the end of the table to pay... Unfortunately, it was only where you paid for Credit Cards!

[caption id="attachment_2041" align="aligncenter" width="490"] The church hall 1 hour 20 minutes before starting time![/caption]

Signage would have helped.

There seemed to be plenty of room for everyone in the Hall - but maybe there were lots of warmly-dressed people outside.  I was glad I had thought to use the bathroom right after getting there - because the lines started forming after that.. The men's didn't get to bad - until the women took it over at 10-15 minutes of race time!  And I'm not complaining - they needed to if they were going to get to use the facilities before it started!

The last two weeks summarized in one post...

So, I've been quiet for a couple of weeks.  Let me reassure you, this is not because I went back to not exercising... Well, not for much of the two weeks.

It started because our best friends came down from NY and spent a long weekend with us.

My Heroes.

August 22nd.  Since that date, there has been nothing but silence here on my WordPress Blog.  If you follow along on my Facebook page, you got to hear from me as recently as August 24th.  Granted, if you follow Storme, the Curvy Road Runner on Facebook, then you have seen me post a few times since then to her wall.  (As a quick side note, if you don't either follow her on Facebook, or her blog - you should she is someone who has really shown the life-changing potential of running, and how to reach for your goals. SHE

[caption id="attachment_1642" align="alignleft" width="300"] Hero #1 - Storme, rocking her medal.[/caption]

was at the starting line for the Marine Corps Marathon this year, unlike yours truly!)  Storme is an awesome person, and is truly an inspiration!