One year ago today I started this blog at the urging of fellow running buddy Bill Parady. I spent a few hours reading my past entries and the many heartfelt entries my wife Marian made on my behalf. Too much to cover and too many emotions to adequately put to words what has happened over the past year. Ups, downs, and arounds! There was initial excitement about my retirement and plans for my European marathon adventure...then the disappointment of heart surgery in January and canceling my European Trampathon. Through it all, my family and I had lots of loving support (understatement) from many friends and family. Optimism started to build when I successfully completed my 12 weeks of cardio-rehabilitation and peaked when I completed my first post-surgery marathon in August (Humpy's Marathon). Now the excitement is building again! I'm marathon training again but still have some medication issues that need to be worked out. Trip planning is ongoing with my running buddy Bob Bowker, who has successfully recovered from his cancer surgery and is running 4:15 marathons again at the age of 68! Bob will join me for Rome and Paris and my friends Bill and Salome Parady will join Bob and I in Paris. I'm on my own for the last leg of the trip, which is the Madrid Marathon.
I have lots to be thankful for, especially this Thanksgiving ... I thank God for my family and loving relatives, my many friends, renewed health, and living in Alaska. Happy Thanksgiving and remember, train hard and run far!
