Heart to Heart International Half Marathon, Houston, TX, September 19, 2023

Race #88

On September 19, 2023, Mikie’s 74th birthday, I ran 13.1 miles in fairly steamy conditions in Houston at Memorial Park to complete a virtual half marathon. This would have been #88 for Mikie (it is #14 for me). This race was run to benefit Heart to Heart International, which helps to improve access to health care all over the world. I have really only been training for about 2 months, but I have had some heavenly inspiration in my training. And the goal of finishing Mikie’s half marathons has definitely helped me survive the last 4.5 months. In previous blog posts, Mikie had been sharing “13.1 Reasons Why I Run Half Marathons” and he only got through #11. And although he won’t be able to finish his reasons, I thought I would share the 13.1 Reasons Why I Run Half Marathons. 

But mine are pretty simple… 

Reason #1: Mikie 

Reason #2: Mikie 

Reason #3: Mikie 

Reason #4: Mikie 

Reason #5: Mikie 

Reason #6: Mikie 

Reason #7: Mikie 

Reason #8: Mikie 

Reason #9: Mikie 

Reason #10: Mikie 

Reason #11: Mikie 

Reason #12: Mikie 

Reason #13: Mikie 

Reason #.1: Mikie 

The suddenness of Mikie’s passing and trying to deal with the shock and grief has been something that I wasn’t sure how I would deal with, but training and working to complete 13 half marathons in Mikie’s honor and to help him reach his goal of 100 Half Marathons by his 75th birthday has been something that has truly helped me survive. My training and running has been my therapy…I picture Mikie there with me, he cheers me on wherever I am running and I have lots of good conversations with him. And by training in the morning, I get to watch the sun come up, which helps remind me that Mikie would want me to keep going, that the sun will keep coming up every day, and that when I feel the sun shining down on me, I can feel Mikie smiling and still loving me. I am still trying to figure out how to live without him, and I am not sure I ever will completely, but the best I can do right now is to try and wake up each day and honor Mikie in everything I do. I hope I always make him proud. 

Next half marathon (#89) is October 29th, the Houston Half Marathon. It will go just a few blocks past our house in Houston. I definitely know Mikie will be with me every step of the way!

God Save the Queen Half Marathon, Houston, Texas, October 22, 2022

 Race Number 87

After a six-month hiatus from running, I started training again, in September, and culminated that training today by completing 13.1 miles in the “God Save the Queen” Virtual Half Marathon. A pretty cool medal and some nice juicy blisters were my reward! Frankly, it was pure grit that got me to the finish line today, as a few weeks of training really does not prepare you well for even a slow race.

I did my slow 13.1 miles at Memorial Park, in Houston, in honor of an extraordinary lady whom I admired. The proceeds from the race go to the HALO Trust, a favorite charity of the royal family. The Trust helps countries recover after conflict. Clearing landmines, to save lives, is at the heart of what they do. They work with communities that are too often forgotten once the fighting has ended.

Now, reason number 11 of “13.1 Reasons Why I Run Half Marathons”

The Streets are OURS! Getting to run in the middle of the street is contrary to what my mom taught me when I was growing up. She never liked us playing baseball or skate boarding in the street. Cul-de-sacs did not exist in my childhood days or at least in my neighborhood. Yet, think about it: I don’t have to look both ways and don’t have to obey traffic lights. And ..... I get to thank the cop for keeping me safe from the Little Old Lady From Pasadena (or people like Robin Korac, one of my parents at Jefferson Academy that use to AIM her big SUV at me as I tried to direct cars during drop-off and pickup from school).

Have you ever tried to get around a city when there is a race going on? It is worse than trying to get home at rush hour in LA or Houston. You might as well park the car and take a nap or read a book. The road blocks, at a race, are set up to protect the runners, and our friends in blue make it very difficult for you when you are trying to make your quick visit it Dunkin Donuts. I suspect your pleading and crying with the police officer, will get you nowhere. Your lust for that 12-grams of saturated fat (and that is the average), will not get in the way of the kind officer risking the chance you will run over Mikie the Half Marathoner. After all, Mikie needs to make it to 100 half marathons by his 75th birthday in September of 2024.

Post script: It just dawned on me, that if you tell the cop that you are heading to the donut shop, he may have empathy for you and let you through..... hmmmmm. There may be a flaw in my logic. Aristotle would have been disappointed in me.

Ventura Half Marathon, Ventura, California, February 27, 2022

Race #86

Today I ran my 86th half marathon in Ventura, California. I enjoyed some special time with my beloved Uncle, Aunt and cousins.  I love and miss them so very much and especially our banter. 

As in most races, there is a loneliness as you exert yourself, yet there is also a bond to hundreds of other runners. It is highly diluted, by comparison, with the bond that binds men in combat, but it is there, as the element of combat is there. Now…….

Katy Half Marathon

Reason #10 of “13.1 Reasons Why I Run Half Marathons”

“I get to slightly excel at something I did not think I could do!”

I started my resolute running career in the fall of 1966 with the cross country team during my senior year of high school in preparation for the track and field season in the spring. I was not on the team but Coach Strain (That was his name, I am NOT KIDDING) allowed me to run with the team. Coach ran us from Estancia High School in Costa Mesa down to the Santa Ana River jetties in Newport Beach, California (8 miles, round trip). This occurred every other day. We ran on a sandy and difficult trail that runs along the Santa Ana River which flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Then, a few years later (1970) I got the “opportunity,” in the US Army, to run with a full pack and loaded M14 or M16 weapon at Fort Ord, California. Without a trace of rancor, I would admit, training for the Infantry required me to dig deep into the reserves of my young manhood to absorb the punishment. We ran, almost every day, to the beaches in Monterey (about five miles, one way, in thick sand) to practice our marksmanship on the rifle ranges set up at the beach. During this portion of our training, I volunteered to run at the rear of the Company with two other men (we were known as the Three Musketeers). We were required to make sure no man was left behind by literally picking them up and dragging them to the rifle range if they should collapse or dropped out of the running formation due to exhaustion. Those runs to the rifle range still secure a place in my repertory of nightmares.

Both of these early experiences taught me the concept of mind over body as well as what it means to run (and serve) a team or fighting unit. I also began to become keenly aware of what the human body was capable of and I developed a deep appreciation for the incredible machine that Almighty God has crafted.

I did not run a lot after those years. Yet, at age 56, my son, Cameron, invited me to a small race in Denver (the fall of 2005) to raise money for cancer research. Although I almost died that day on the short three mile dirt trail, my running juices were re-ignited and my desire to get back into running shape took over my mind and soul. I made the effort to do something again, that I did not think I could do again.

I have been blessed (let us therefore rejoice) to be able to continue this trek, but more importantly, I have learned that I can usually succeed at something if I do not let my mind ambush me and truly believe, “We can do this!” 

Next race? Gosh, I don’t know. The big enemy (I suppose this is a matter of temperament. So, more safely: MY big enemy) is the heat of the summer months. I really dislike running in the temperatures that cause your blood to bubble. Notwithstanding, number 87 is on the horizon. Until then..... Blessings!

 

Katy Half Marathon, Katy, Texas, February 12, 2022

 Number 85

Houston Half, January 2022

Today I ran and jogged the Katy Half Marathon in Katy, Texas, a small city just to the west of Houston. It was a pleasantly cold day but tolerable! 

Now, reason #9, "Why I Run Half Marathons"

Breakfast the morning of and the Lunch (and the shower) after the race. 

My favorite race breakfast is: oatmeal, a banana and eight ounces of water. I know that does not beat Eggs Benedict at Katheryn’s Bakery in Wash Park in Denver, but it sustains me through most of the race. THEN.... the HUGE payoff is after the race. I can eat ANYTHING I WANT because I just burnt 2,000,000 calories for two and a half plus hours and no one is going to get in the way of me and a pint of Haagen Dazs Coconut/Pineapple Ice Cream.

I pause to remark: I exercise total disregard for the amount of sugar and fat I consume after a race. Now, granted, my trigicerides tend to skip to the top of the chart and into the dangerous level, but it’s only for a half a day, .......... I think...... Actually, I hope.

And then the SHOWER....In twenty minutes, I am as fresh as a newborn, sitting at my table, writing this blog and rattling on and on with a mug of fresh Arbuckle Mexicali coffee by my side. But after a while, I am pari passu with my readers’ wandering attention, and I finally run out of creative energy and I post my longwinded missive for reasons unknown, unknowable, and uninteresting.

Next race? Ventura Half Marathon in Southern California on February 27th. I have got to rest these legs, lungs and heart! I LOVE running near the Pacific Ocean!!!

 

Aramco Houston Half Marathon, January 16, 2022

 Number 84

I ran my 84th half marathon today on a cold day in Houston, with 27,000 easily jaded running colleagues. Happily, the sun did not excrete its heat upon me, and the weather was perfect for running oodles of miles. I really pondered not running this race because I had not trained suitably for it (the holidays got in the way). Suffice to say….. I withstood the urge to bow out (in fact, I ran my fastest time since heart surgery)....... which leads me to share with you Reason #8 of “The 13.1 Reasons Why I Run Half Marathons.”

Reason #8: BECAUSE I CAN AND IT IS DOABLE.

It is the human way to exert oneself, every now and again, in eccentric enterprises (even with congestive heart failure). I have chosen running (and golf and drawing and woodcarving and etc., etc.). When running, I generally experience that blend of elation, excitement, and apprehension one feels when heading out onto the road for a long passage. We humans often think in minutes, even half minutes, and an hour at the most.  Yet, time loses its meaning when I am running. You just run, and run, and watch the sun or moon descend ever so slowly, and the stars in steady rotation, and the path rushing alongside, creating that comfortable, cozy companionship....... you and the road......traveling in the same direction. It is a pleasurable experience difficult to surpass, UNLESS you elect to reminisce about the day the gates opened and you left prison a free man.  So, I will continue jogging and running, because I can (and it is doable) until the day they lower me down or put me in the furnace.

PS: The pictures are of my last race in San Antonio in December.

San Antonio Rock & Roll Half Marathon, San Antonio, Texas, December 5, 2021

 Number 83

Today I ran my 83rd half marathon with 15,000 other runners in the very hilly Rock and Roll Half Marathon in San Antonio, Texas. The hills were BRUTAL!!! 

San Antonio has four military bases in town and portions of the race honors fallen military personnel along the route with their pictures. I had some difficulty breathing during the race as I went through periods of convulsive sobbing as I tried to touch each sign and ask for a blessing on the fallen hero as well as their families! Lives cut short for freedom for you and I. So many have died in my lifetime so that I might live freely! Humbling.

Now ...... Reason #7 for “Why I Run Half Marathons:”
I EARN a tee shirt which will become a part of a quilt showing off my accomplishments. Some years ago, a few of my teachers at Jefferson Academy, asked for my first 25 shirts and presented me, weeks later, with a beautiful quilt! (See the attached picture). This is one of my most treasured possessions..... developed by staff members whom I adore and the quilt reminds me of 14 years of my professional life that can only be described as AWESOME! My running exploits may be prominent in this quilt, but to me, what is most prominent, when I gaze at the quilt, is the the love and bond the staff had with one another and our families, which helped make JA a huge success!

Jefferson Academy was one of the first charter schools in Colorado (est. 1994) and I was the lucky founding Principal. My staff and I had a huge calling and task to produce the very best educational program for our parents and students under some significant political opposition. We did not fail in our task and to this day, JA is one of the highest performing schools in the state of Colorado! I will ALWAYS be a proud Jaguar!

To the Rescue Half Marathon, Houston, Texas, November 21, 2021

Number 82

I  jogged the “To the Rescue Half Marathon” (#82!) In Houston today. I was running on behalf of the First Responders Children’s Foundation which provides financial support to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. For 20 years, First Responders Children’s Foundation has provided college scholarships for the children of those injured or killed in the line of duty.

It was a Mind over Body experience today. The body wanted to do less. Frankly, so did the mind but the mind knew the correct response and won.......this time.

I ran today, as I always do, contemplating something to keep my mind directed AWAY from the pounding and the pain. Frankly, I was a bit self-absorbed today as I considered the exchange with my cardiologist a few days ago. He very politely reminded me that I am, and will forever be, in congestive heart failure even after the quad bypass and a couple of special medications. Most people operate with an “Ejection Fraction” ( i.e. the amount of the blood your left ventricle pushes out to your body) of 55-65%. My EF is now 30-38% (up from 23%). You are in CHF if you are under 40%. Therefore, this appointment was a tad bit discouraging as I had hoped for more positive news.

“Still in failure” nestled itself in my mind throughout the race. I probably should have not perseverated on it. Yet, my Dad passed at 74 years old due to the same condition. Dad was not in good shape and did little to correct his condition. I am working hard to not repeat the Munier history! My previous hard work and my obsession with staying fit has sustained me over all my years. I have usually adhered to the phrase that “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” So the hand will stay firmly affixed to the plow.

Therefore, as all men with wooden legs do not behave like Long John Silver, so I will not behave as if CHF has won the battle and I will continue to function actively until I can’t. Bring on #83!!!

Best Furry Friends Half Marathon, Houston, Texas, October 31, 2021

Number 81 

I jogged the “Best Furry Friends” Half Marathon today in honor our doggies, Bailey and Gracie Munier and the Freedom Service Dogs of America a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that unleashes the potential of dogs by transforming them into custom-trained, life-changing assistance dogs for people in need. FSD clients include children, veterans and active-duty military, and other adults. These clients live with disabilities like autism, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic stress and more. It was a good run for a great cause. #81 is in the books!

As I have traversed (and run) through 72 years of life, I have experienced and seen many things in my journey that have been wonderful, inspiring and extraordinary. Yet, the events and episodes that have affected me the most are the simpler ones, like falling in love with my wife, running in a cool breeze in the woods or enjoying the adoration of our two doggies. My prayer for all my friends and acquaintances that read these posts is that each of you does not discount the lesser or smaller wonders of life as the fulfillment we get from them may surprise you.

Now, Reason #6, “I Run Half Marathons:”

I get to wear skimpy running gear. I could live my whole life in reduced clothing. Adam and Eve really screwed things up for humankind. No other species has to wear stuff on their bodies. Additionally, I get to sweat profusely without being self conscience about it.

BTW: Bicyclists get to wear the the most colorful clothing, don’t you think? I think they have to because most of them do not obey traffic rules and thus, looking like a peacock helps keep them from getting run over.

Never Forget Half Marathon, Houston, Texas, October 10, 2021

 Number 80

I jogged the “Never Forget Half Marathon” today at Memorial Park in Houston. It was number 80 for this old fella. My IT Band tear is 90% ok, but I must admit, there was quite a bit of favoring of the left leg the last six miles. Eighty-two degrees and 90% humidity was not helpful, either . 

This race was a virtual race ( i.e. I upload a picture of my watch time and distance to a website to verify that I ran the distance plus, I run without a crowd cheering me on). As a participant, I raised money for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The museum is a collection of authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope. As a monument to human dignity, courage, and sacrifice, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and recognizes the courage of those who survived, and salutes those who risked their lives to help others.

Please see the picture of the beautifully etched 4″ medal I will receive for my efforts which shows two New York City skylines: one side of the medal has the Twin Towers standing tall, and the other side of the medal has One World Trade Center in their place. Somber as well as disturbing to this day.

I generally do not engage in political or religious discourse on social media. But after watching a couple of documentaries over the 9/11 weekend, I was reminded of my deep disdain for extreme fanaticism in political and religious thought or philosophies which seem to always lead to harming people whether mentally, spiritually or physically. My pastor, Tom Stipe, use to say, “Sin makes you stupid!” I would add that “extreme fanaticism” also makes you stupid! That is all I have to say about that .... (Forrest Gump).

Now, Reason #5 as to Why I Run Half Marathons:

I stay fit! I weigh the same as I did when I exited active duty in the military in 1975. Some of you have seen me in my dress greens. What you have not seen (under the longer coat of my uniform) is the fact I cannot secure the top clasp on my army issued 30-inch waist slacks. That area has expanded two inches (OK, maybe 2.5 inches). Yet, my doctor says I am a walking, talking testimony to staying fit and thus, making a valiant effort to overcoming hereditarily based heart disease. Hopefully, my effort will allow me to run (and LIVE) for many years to come.

It appears #81 will take place in November with real runners in La Porte, TX. Until then.....blessings to you all!

Houston Aramco Half Marathon, Houston, TX January 16, 2021

 Number 79

One year ago, I was RUNNING hard in the Houston Half Marathon unaware that my heart was operating at half its capacity and had four arteries blocked at 90%. Today, Holly ran, and I jogged, the same race, virtually, with the above maladies repaired. Although 20 minutes slower than last year, the thirteen miles felt very good! I am grateful to be alive to share my saga.

And.......Reason #4 of Why I Run Half Marathons:

It is NOT a Marathon. I have never, nor will I ever run a full marathon. My brother-in-law has run many, and he said it is BRUTAL. I hear you have to sell your soul to the running devils and give up your sloth time in front of the TV, thus missing episodes of The Amazing Race or Black List or, God forbid, FOOTBALL or GOLF! So....I will continue to run my half marathons because they are “Half the distance and twice the fun.”

Number 80 is on the horizon, I just don’t know which horizon.