"It was the best of times....it was the worst of times." This is how the classic by Charles Dickens, "A Tale of Two Cities" begins. It goes on to have many contrasting statements for a few sentences, but we all get the picture. THIS is how I felt on May 11th.
I had spent most of the previous year (2015) declaring that from Nov. of 2014 to Nov. of 2015 would be my BEST YEAR YET! This was the time period before I turned 50 in November of 2015. I had set out to gain entry into the New York City Marathon, which I did, and run as a St. Jude Hero to raise money and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which I did, as a cap off to this "self described" BEST YEAR YET. It truly was a year to remember. I asked myself last November, after I ran NYC and had my 50th birthday, "how does one follow up his BEST YEAR YET?" I decided that the best way to do that would be to hit the "reset" button and have another BEST YEAR YET!! Why limit my best year to just one round of 365 days? Why not just live an inspired life, for the rest of my life, 365 days at a time....really, one day at a time?
So I set off to have another BEST YEAR YET. I decided to challenge myself to run 4 marathons in 2016, the most I would complete in one calendar year (previously it was 2 in 2014). So when I heard on May 11th, "the diagnosis is prostate cancer," this was not a part of my plan....my journey...for the year. The diagnosis came just 10 days after I completed my 2nd marathon on the year. Knowing I still had 2 more marathons to go (which I had already committed to running as a St. Jude Hero for the Chicago and Memphis marathons) my first reaction to my doctor at the time of deciding treatment options was, "how long until I can begin running?" A few days later, still processing the diagnosis of cancer in MY body, I started to not feel well. I wasn't able to eat, could really only take in liquids and for the next week, I kept thinking "this will pass," but it didn't and it got worse. I was taken to the hospital on May 23rd and found out I had a bacterial infection called Clostridium difficile...C diff. Not a pretty sight. Cancer....C diff....NOT really the attributes that make up a BEST YEAR YET scenario.
Prior to this year, my only overnight stays in a hospital came when I was born and a one night stay when I was 16 for an early morning orthoscopic knee surgery (this was before it was an outpatient procedure). I had a 5 day stint in May for the C diff and another 5 day stay in August for surgery to remove my prostate.
I'm not the fastest marathon runner, but I'm not the slowest either. I won't make the podium in my age group, unless their are only 3 of us running. One thing I prepare to do is start and finish each marathon I enter. I do know how important training is and with my treatment choice for the cancer diagnosis, I chose what is called a Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy, I was going to be "down" for some time. With surgery set for August 1st and the Chicago Marathon on October 9th, I had 9 weeks and each week down was going to be tough to prepare for 26.2 miles....doable, but tough.
I'm sure there are many that ask, "Why do you keep doing this?" I probably could have taking a well accepted "pass" on completing my last 2 marathons this year. I believe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stated it the best, "Life's most persistent and urgent question: What are you doing for others?"
I learned a lot over the last 366 that has shaped me: love of family; the will to battle; my body can still do incredible things; and so on. Not looking back, only forward. In Luke 9:62 Jesus tells about the importance of keeping our eyes fixed in FRONT of us. Don't look back, you're not going that way anymore!
So, here we are, 51 years + 1 day, setting off on another 365 day BEST YEAR YET journey...who's in?
Note: if you would like to get involved in helping St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and my efforts as a St. Jude Hero for this upcoming St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (Dec. 2nd), please go to heroes.stjude.org/timpete. There is no amount too big or too small.
On May 1st, I ran the Lincoln, NE Marathon. It was a rainy, windy and chilly day. I knew going into race day what it was going to be like. Every marathon that I have run (this was #5) has its challenges. This would be no different.
This was marathon number 2 out of 4 this year for me. I had trained well for this race and didn't miss any long runs due to weather or anything else. I was prepared as I "toed the line."
13,000 had registered for this marathon/half marathon. Right at 3,000 were running the full (I think the weather kept many away as only 1,062 finished the full) so I knew after the 13.1 mile mark, the "herd" would thin out.
As I approached the half way mark, I was running a comfortable pace but I had started to experience some discomfort in my right knee. I knew the next 13.1 miles were not going to be on the pace I wanted, but I was determined to finish this race. My discomfort turned to pain just past the 21 mile mark and I slowed down and even walked more than what I would normally.
******
As I woke up the morning of the race, I looked out the window and it was raining. I had told my wife the night before that if it was raining, I didn't expect her to come with me to the start but she could track me on the app and meet up with me at the end. Chris is my biggest cheerleader. She can be seen or should I say heard, at these races with her monster cowbell in hand. This cowbell has a VERY distinct sound and I can usually pick it out, from a distance, and know that a well needed kiss and hug was near.
During this race, I heard other cowbells and they were a nice reminder and encouragement, even though it wasn't Chris ringing it.
******
I told myself, right as I passed mile 21, "I cannot be defeated AND I will not quit!" over and over. I wasn't going to quit, even if it meant walking the final 5 miles. As I was approaching the 22nd mile, I saw the marker, "Mile 22." This took me back to a book I read over Christmas of 2014 about the New York City Marathon called, "A Race Like No Other." In chapter 22 there was a piece about an everyday champion...a runner like most of us. She had battled back and was recovering from alcohol addiction. Her story was woven throughout the book, but mile 22 was special. It told a story of her training and one of redemption. It had an impact on me and continues to inspire me to this day. So when I saw Mile Marker 22, I said to God, "Lord, I'm hurting. I'm in pain. I need Your inspiration. I won't quit, but I don't know if I can physically finish." and RIGHT AT THAT TIME, I heard someone clanging a cowbell. How cool was it that right at my point of struggle and helplessness, that my God would have something that I recognized as a point of encouragement ring for me to hear....as if to say, "Tim, we can do this for 4 more miles." As I got closer to the sound, I saw that it was my wife, Chris, who was the one ringing the cowbell for me at Mile 22 and cheering so loud (the pic above is me approaching her) with nobody else around. To say I was emotional is an understatement. I grabbed ahold of her and told her how much this meant to me, at this specific time, and through tears, I kissed her and said, "I'll see you at the finish."
I still struggled through those final 4 miles, but now NOTHING was going to deter me as I kept hearing the "sound of encouragement" with each step.
You know, in some races we have, all goes well and in others they don't go so well. Some days in our lives go well where other days don't go as well. Either way, we need to just keep moving...keep pressing on to the finish!
After taking a cross country trip, writer Bobby Troup composed the song, "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66." The song made famous this stretch of highway (US 66) from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Although I'll have some "tune up" races and runs prior to this, that starting point, Chicago, is the sight of my next Abbott World Marathon Majors race, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. On October 9th (exactly one month before I turn 51), I will set out to complete the 2nd of 6 World Marathon Majors. My goal is to complete all 6 before I turn 60!
This year, 2016, is the year that I'm challenging myself, physically, to run 4 full marathons, and per the schedule, the BoA Chicago Marathon will be number 3 for the year (I already have completed the Fort Smith (Arkansas) Marathon on Feb. 14th and will run the Lincoln (Nebraska) Marathon on May 1st).
Once again, I will be running for a reason and that reason is to raise awareness and money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN (the site of my 4th and final Marathon of the year!). The founder of St. Jude's, Danny Thomas, once said, "No child should die in the dawn of life." That together with the Mission of St. Jude's, "Finding Cures. Saving Children." is what keeps my focus during the long training in all types of weather. St. Jude is a wonderful organization and I encourage you to go to www.stjude.org for further information.
Over the next 7 months leading up to the BoA Chicago Marathon and through the rest of the year, I'll be documenting this journey via this blog, Facebook, Twitter, Periscope and Instagram. Here is how to find me and keep up:
Twitter/Periscope: @_timpeterson
Instgram: tcpeterson01
Facebook: search for Tim Peterson and ask for a "friend request"
Follow along and "join" me on this "trip" as I "Get my "kicks" at the start of Route 66!"
Now, let's go "run the world!"
[to support my efforts as a St. Jude Hero for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, go to heroes.stjude.org/timpeterson]
"Welcome to the Abbott World Marathon Majors Ambassador Program!" This is what I saw earlier this week when I opened an email. Time to back up and fill you in....
My running focus in 2015 had ONE goal; Get into and run the TCS New York City Marathon to cap off my (self described) "best year yet." I turned 50 a week after this race and I wanted 2015 to be memorable. I did get in (first time lottery pick!) and had a GREAT time training for and then completing THE Race Like No Other!
When one trains for a marathon, there are many miles to log...which means many hours to think. Days after running the streets of New York, I asked myself, "what's next?"
I like to set goals. It keeps me focused to the process. While still in New York, I told my wife, "I think I'll go after running all 6 of the World Marathon Majors (Tokyo Marathon; B.A.A. Boston Marathon; Virgin Money London Marathon; BMW BERLIN-MARATHON; Bank of America Chicago and the TCS New York City Marathon)." What a great goal to set that would take a few years to complete I thought.
As the new year hit, I saw a post about becoming an Ambassador for the Abbott World Marathon Majors. There was an application with a series of essay type questions. I figured, why not? I qualified based on their criteria of being enthusiastic and having a passion for running marathons to help speak to a larger running community. So, I filled out the form and submitted it.
So with one major down (2015 TCS New York City Marathon), it's now time to set my sights on the other 5. I'm not sure when I'll get them all done, but know this, I.WILL.GET.THEM.ALL.DONE!! I truly believe that the only way one won't hit their goals is to give up and quit. The Bank of America Chicago Marathon wasn't in my sights this year...until now! Let's see if we can get into this one now!
Stay tuned in and see WHERE IN THE WORLD is Tim as "Tim Runs The World!"
