Dec. 11, 2018 – Washington Co., WI – Today I completed 24 years, 345 days of not missing a day of running. That’s 9,110 days in a row and run number 6 of the 25 Runs of Gratitude.
One of my biggest pet peeves over the years about my streak is the individual that says, “I wish I had the time to go for a run every day.” I believe I am pretty busy, both professionally and personally. Through the years, I have coached baseball, football, and wrestling. I do as much with my family as possible and I think my neighbors would say I am a good neighbor who helps out when needed.
We rent 17 acres behind our house where we have raised alfalfa and corn. My job as Campus Dean requires me to be on a myriad of local Boards that require numerous early morning and after-work meetings. We have enthusiastically volunteered at Riverfest, Enchantment in the Park, Holy Angels Parish and the Washington County Fair.
I have not had a problem finding at least 15 minutes the last 9,110 days. I am sure there are some people that are busier than I am and cannot find 15 minutes in their day. I am glad I am not one of them.
I have to be smart about when I run. Rule No. 1 is if I am flying anywhere, no matter how early in the morning I have to leave, I run before I get to the airport. I don’t want to get stuck in an airport and end my streak.
Remember one of my rules is this has to be an outside run, so in my book running indoors would not keep the streak alive.
I never wait until the very end of the day to run. Several years ago I was working for Lutheran Social Services and was traveling from Upper Michigan to Eau Claire. I pulled into Eau Claire at about 11 p.m. and still needed to run. As soon as I arrived at the hotel, a major thunderstorm hit. I waited in the lobby with my running clothes on until about 11:40 p.m. The storm let up slightly and I left for my run.
I probably ran sub 6-minute miles that night because I was so afraid of getting hit by lightning. The lady at the front desk must have thought I was nuts.
Another time, while still working for Lutheran Social Services, I was in the Duluth/Superior area. I don’t remember the exact temperature the day I arrived but it was warm enough to run in shorts and a t-shirt. I remember waking up the next morning with snow on the ground and freezing temperatures. I wore my suit pants under my shorts and my dress shirt and suit jacket under my t-shirt.
To this day I am sure someone still talks about the weird looking guy they saw running that morning.
Today I ran from the doorsteps of the Kettle Moraine YMCA. I ran with Mr. YMCA himself Rob Johnson. Rob was President of the Board for United Way when I joined the team. This year the YMCA will serve 211 children in their 4K relationship with the West Bend School District. They have five 4K classrooms located at their main Campus, Our Saviors Church and a couple classes each at Holy Trinity in Newburg and Trinity Lutheran in West Bend.
Rob reminded me that studies show 85 percent of the brain develops by age 5 which makes learning opportunities an essential benefit. Rob also shared that the YMCA offers a nature-based program where they attempt to connect the interior that connects the human senses with outdoor nature. They also offer between 6-8 diabetes prevention classes annually that serve about 90 people each year. This is a year-long program that works on several factors to help individuals who are pre-diabetic. Nutrition, exercise and behavior modification make up the curriculum and their end result is 5 percent of sustained weight loss as a goal. Rob said there are countless stories of people who are now off medication and no longer consider pre-diabetic.
Besides Rob, I was also joined on the run by Sue Funk, Rachel Martinez and Jenny Zaskowski all from the YMCA. Brenda Raad our brand new Dean of General Education at Moraine Park Technical College and Board member for the YMCA also ran, along with Shane Oppermann from Alexssa.
Wednesday, Dec. 12 at noon we run from Horicon Bank on Paradise Drive in West Bend. We will be running for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Washington County. See you then!