About Time

I've been putting this blog off since May 9, 2009. I know it was May 9th because that was the day I finished my first ultra marathon. The race was the PCT 50 and during the 12 hours and 37 minutes it took me to finish the race, I had plenty of time to think. One of those thoughts was to start a blog. I figured a blog would help me raise awareness and money for certain charities I plan on running for. Oh ya, now my mom can always check the blog if I don't call for a couple of days. I love you mom!

I'll start with my main reason for this blog, to raise awareness. To do that I'll start from the beginning. Please bear with me, I'll try to make this long story short. When I started training for the San Francisco Marathon in the spring of 2008 I had no clue what I was getting into. I actually hated running but wanted to challenge myself plus I was drinking a lot in those days and I needed a reason to slow my roll. On my weekly long runs I noticed how much I enjoyed myself. Each Saturday run would be a personal best, yes even the 5-6 mile runs. After 4 months of training, race day came. I ran the marathon with my training partner Gian. I'm the guy in the white shirt up in the picture. The other guy is my great friend Gian. We finished, not a fast time but mission was accomplished. I took 3 months off from running and went right back to old habits. After returning from a trip to my hometown of Lincoln Park, Michigan I was ready for a change. I was weighing over 200 pounds and living very unhealthy. I knew that running would help me. But I already did a marathon so I searched for an ultra marathon that I could have enough time to prepare for and give me a shot to finish. The PCT on May 9, 2009 was just that race.

My training for the months of December and January was nothing but road. I ran mostly up to and around Fiesta Island. In February Gian and I decided to go out to the trail we'd be running on, the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Yes I talked him into joining me. That day we ran 16 miles and it was love at first sight or shall I say first run. That was the day I fell in love with trail running. It wasn't even a great day. The temperature was in the 30's and 40's and it poured down rain the last 10 miles. But I was looking forward to going back out the next weekend. Week after week we went out to the PCT to train. Some days we'd leave the house at 0400 and return around 8 PM. Each week was an adventure though, especially the nights we start running around midnight. All that training paid off though. At some point during that race I decided I was going to sign up for another ultra ASAP. Considering all the time and effort to train for an ultra I may as well put all my running toward a good cause. The easiest way I thought I could do this would be to start this blog. I'm sure I'll find out in the near future just how easy or hard it is to raise awareness and money for a cause through my blog.

I ended up running the San Diego Rock and Roll marathon a few weeks later with my wife (Frances), little brother (Dylan) and 4 other friends. All of whom ran there first marathon except for me. I also did exactly what I said and signed up for the Mount Disappointment 50 miler. Which I finished in 12 hours and 32 minutes. Next up was the Noble Canyon 50K but I unfortunately fractured my collar bone 2 weeks before the race. I wasn't able to run the race but was able to go support my fellow runners. Next on the racing agenda was the PCT V2.0 0n November 21st. My little brother, Dylan, flew out again to run this. This was going to be his and my fourth race for the year. He ran his first 50 miler in September and the Detroit marathon in October. We didn't do too well but we did finish in 12 hours and 15 minutes.

After all that running I still put off starting this blog. But Dylan and I signed up for the next step up... a 100 mile endurance run. We decided to run one in my backyard, the San Diego 100 mile endurance run. Finally during my training for this event I stopped procrastinating and here I am typing. What am I going to run for you may ask. Hopefully the Wounded Warrior Project if they allow me. I sent in my application yesterday to see if I can run to raise awareness and money for the WWP. If I get the approval I should have a link for those to donate. Until then I thank you for sticking with me up to this point and there will be more to follow.

Jerry "El Tigre" England