RUNNING LESSONS

For some years, I've been concerned about my tendencies to gain weight and to not exercise. A few years ago, when I set a personal record for obesity, I knew something had to change. Having lost my father to heart disease while I was still in school, I knew I wanted to be around for my own sons longer than Dad was able.

So, with the help of a lot of great friends and a wonderfully supportive family, I made some changes. And I've since been blessed to enjoy time with friends and family running and working out in various ways.

Still, time to work out is always an issue. (I've tried to address that issue in Marathon & Beyond, the running publication. The articles are called "Time to Run" and "Time to Run Long.") This legislative session I've found myself working out for shorter periods. And I've been on an indoor bike and weight-machines more and running less.

So, I had thought I would do the Country Music Half-Marathon, instead of the whole marathon, yesterday. But after one of the organizers of the event called me names, I started thinking about doing the whole. Then another friend who right now is a bit slower said he was going to do the whole, and his determination encouraged me to go ahead. I did so knowing that this would be my slowest marathon by far, assuming that I finished it.

Nancy and I took our three sons and our "neighbor and borrowed son Jack" with us to Nashville. I needed their encouragement and support, and I wanted them to enjoy the excitement and fun that Tennessee's largest marathon brings. I figure being around 20,000+ people fit enough to run or walk at least a half-marathon is a good thing for our boys.

While it was indeed my slowest marathon ever, by almost a minute a mile, I finished and had the privilege of trying to sprint the last part (it was as much sprint as I had in me after 26 miles) with sons John and Rick. And that was fun. (Okay, I know "fun" may not be how some would describe it, but it was...at least after it was over. Grin.)

During the marathon, I was reminded once again of how even running, something one thinks of as an individual sport, really is a team game. From about mile 12 or so until about mile 15, I enjoyed a new friend that I ran with, talked with and even coached a bit. Her first name prompted me to ask her family's origins, and she talked about her father and his coming to this country from Lebanon (the country, not the Wilson county city).

After that, from about 15 until mile 20, I ran with a Marine, the first Marine I think I've met named Tiffany. Her husband, who did the Marine Corps Marathon last fall but was not competing yesterday, joined us for a while. We chatted and I learned a bit about his having been in Iraq for six months. And about the husband-and-wife Marines getting out in four months and coming home to Tennessee.

Running with those people took my mind off of my struggles. They helped me click off miles that otherwise would have been difficult. Instead, those miles were most enjoyable. And thinking about the sacrifices of those Marines put into context the few moments of discomfort that can come during a marathon.

Why do people run marathons? A lot of reasons. To lose weight. To keep from putting on weight. To live longer and stronger. To teach your children, you hope, by example. And not least of all, to learn from and enjoy meeting people like the fellow Tennesseans who are the child of a Lebanese immigrant and the two Marines. The sacrifices made by them and their families simply inspire.