Running Man

It took months for me to recover, and longer for me to gain the confidence to know I could run again.
Over the next four months of training, I will share my experiences. It all leads up to my return to marathon running Aug. 27 in the Marathon des Deux Rives in Quebec City.
In this time I will share with you what sent me to the hospital, how my father’s death inspired me to run in Quebec City, why you shouldn’t eat a taco salad before a training run, how I picked out my running shoes, the importance of body glide and a bunch of other tidbits I learned in my short time as a runner.
Why tell you all this? Because I am back in training for another marathon, and I hope to inspire some of you to begin running, others to start up again, and for those who already run, to tell their stories.
After all, I didn’t start running until four years ago, and when I started finishing ONE mile was a chore. I progressed to run in 5Ks, 10Ks, a half-marathon and then the 2004 Los Angeles marathon. Once I received my medal at the finish line, I was hooked.
Marathon training is tough, time-consuming and often tiring.
There may be times you drive right past me as I do my training runs on the streets of the San Fernando Valley, or even run right past me as I push my newborn son, Kyan, in one of the jogging strollers (which I previously thought were hideous). I hope you join me, at least in spirit, in my quest.
I know I’m recovered from last summer -- when my euphoria from finishing the Mayor’s Midnight Sun marathon in Anchorage, Alaska, in 4 hours, 20 minutes, 43 seconds was quickly shut off – but in my mind I won’t reach 100 percent recovery until I cross that finish line in Quebec City.
Training begins Tuesday, April 25, and I hope to have you along for the run. Look for my blog updates every Monday.