In case you were wondering, some readers really like the observations I make when running, and some are not that crazy about them. Take the case of Chris J. a reader in the United Kingdom, who recently moved on from his role as Chair of a diagnostic device company.

Chris writes: "I am now getting back into the early-stage company spin-out and development that I really enjoy...my [company] e-mail address will shortly be closing down. Could you please add [my personal email] to your subscription list so that I do not miss out my weekly source of folksy entertainment/wisdom/annoying running stories."

Folksy entertainment. Wisdom. Annoying running stories. Mostly high praise?

When people asked me why I took up running, I simply said: “I run because I can.” With a son and brother who cannot run, it was my way of living up to my potential, I guess.

In the Brooks and Dunn song ‘Red Dirt Road’ there is a line that always resonated with me: “Happiness on earth ain’t just for high achievers.” When it came to running, I was not a high achiever.

In fact, as a result of some recent advice, my long-distance running career will end this year. I will be reverting back to the shorter events. That doesn’t mean I won’t write about them, but it may mean the stories will be shorter?

•  My primary care physician indicated that my knees will not last very long if I keep up the 300-500 running miles per year pace that I have been on for the past ten years. Because I didn’t start running until I was 60 years old, I tell people I have 30-year-old knees. But those 30-year-old knees have started to bark with a little bit of arthritis, so maybe he learned something in medical school?

• My wife has indicated that she would prefer I run shorter distances that would provide her with less time to worry about how I am doing on the road.

Primarily because of her concern, when I do practice runs of more than 4 miles, I make sure to run on Main Street where someone could help me if I struggle. In fact, several years ago, I tripped on a cement sidewalk and really wiped out. A nice guy who was heading to work at Walmart stopped, helped me gather myself and then drove me home, when it was obvious that I shouldn’t continue. 

Later that week, I showed up during his shift with a gift card inside a thank you card. I'll never know when I might need him again.

The running thing started a dozen years ago after I got bored walking. I tried a 5k (3.1 mile) event and was hooked. My first ‘athletic’ endeavor in about 40 years rekindled something inside me. Even though I didn’t win that first event, I realized that there is achievement in finishing. I liked being inside the orange barricades better than being a spectator. 

Ross School-Braintree

Holden Turkey Trot

BAA 5K

During the early, shorter race portion of my running career, I had some memorable runs.

•  The Donald E. Ross Elementary School, my elementary school, had a 5k and I ran over the streets I ran over as a kid. Those Braintree streets were so familiar.
• The Hollis, New Hampshire Fast-50 was a race where they bussed you to the top of a hill and you ran downhill the entire way. Yes, it was my best 5k time.
• The BAA 5k has been a regular race for me for several years, two days before the Boston Marathon and running over the same finish line has always been cool. I am good at pretending.
• The Annual Holden Turkey Trot, the local Thanksgiving event that I’ve run about ten times in all kinds of weather including snow.

Over the years I ‘graduated’ to 10k (6.2 mile) events, maybe trying to keep up with my younger, faster, fitter, brother Paul. My first race at that distance was ‘Finish at the 50’ at the Patriot’s home Gillette Stadium, and it was pretty cool to finish on the same field that Tom Brady and the multiple-year world champions played on.

I soon realized that running slower suited me better than running faster. I had less aches and pains. So, I gradually drifted to longer distances, and graduated to the Falmouth Road Race, my favorite because of the free frozen yogurt bars at the finish line. 

Seven miles from a bar in Woods Hole on the Cape to a bar in Falmouth Heights with 10,000-12,000 others. What's not to like about that?

The thought of running a half-marathon, 13.1 miles, occurred to me during those early years, but was quickly dismissed. I was too old, had started running too late, and was too far out of shape to even think about that distance. Wasn’t I?

With the help and encouragement of a running coach, Sarah Rheault, and inspiration from a friend, Rick Martino, who was also running that day, and some other help, I managed to run my first half-marathon in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, and considered it the capstone to my running career and a lifetime achievement.

Since I’ve run four other half-marathons since then and will be running my sixth next week, I guess I was wrong about the capstone thing.

Two years ago, I really did hit that capstone of my running career when I was an official entrant and finisher in the 2021 Boston Marathon. 26.2 Miles is a long way.

Looking back, the whole journey after those initial short 5k runs, always had the 'Is he brave or stupid?' element embedded. From the first half-marathon along the beach in New Hampshire, to the BAA Half leaving from Franklin Park in four days from now, I think I had found an arena, per Teddy Roosevelt, that was my arena.

Most of the time, after our youth, our 'arenas' are from the neck up, not from the neck down. Strategy, climbing the ladder, and raising a family, all take probably more brain power than physical power.

This running arena of mine was a surprising arena, one that I hadn't anticipated, but one that has treated me well. When we challenge ourselves or set challenging goals, there can be many benefits.

• Our mental state of mind can be more optimistic.
• Our discipline can be better than before.
• Our self-esteem can be higher.
• Our understanding of the sacrifice required for success can be clearer.
• Our partner may think we are cooler.
• Our health may be better if we are undertaking a physical activity.

When I leave Franklin Park in Boston about 8:15 am on Sunday, November 12^th, I will be running that sixth and final half-marathon and wrapping up my long-distance running career. (Except I may run the Falmouth Road Race, just because, and for, the frozen yogurt bars at the finish).

• Will I miss the training miles? Are you kidding me? Not for a minute.
• Will I miss how I feel after a 10-mile or 13-mile run? Are you kidding me? Mentally, yes, but physically, no.
• Did I benefit from this stage of my life? Are you kidding me? Let me count the ways. Guess I already counted some of them above.
• Will I run out of things to write about? Are you kidding me? I have a Weblog or two up my sleeve.

President Teddy Roosevelt’s speech will be what I will be thinking about as I enter White Stadium, less than three hours after I start. As I head to the finish line, I will also be leaving the arena of long-distance running.

• It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

• The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

My time in this particular arena will be over, the sweat and dust will be only a memory, but I'm sure I will find a new challenge in a new arena. Are you kidding me?

LINKEDIN POST

YES, INCREDIBLY HIGH OPEN RATES FOR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS ARE DEFINITELY POSSIBLE!! JUST FOLLOW THE WISDOM OF Edward Doherty .

I always love to see people that I've known and who have supported me over the years succeed in whatever they do. Such is no more true than with my mentor and friend for over 50 years, Ed Doherty. I was pleasantly surprised when late last night he shared his recent Constant Contact podcast interview with me.

Being interviewed by Constant Contact was amazing by itself, as Ed was but one of over 600,000 users of the service that could have been chosen. You might say he won the marketing lottery for this prestigious honor. What was more incredible was the reason why; namely, his 72-78% open rate for his Constant Contact newsletters. Any marketer would do anything for such numbers.

I have been a regular reader of his newsletter and really love it. His sense of humor, and storytelling skills are superb. I'm not surprised, however, as his acumen in this area haven't changed in the 52 plus years that I've known him since our days together as students at University of Massachusetts Amherst and brothers in the Alpha Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity . So many fond memories of that time and the relationships forged with people such as Ed that have lasted all these years.

In an era where there is so much meaningless noise in the content space, and now even more so due to Artificial Intelligence, it is people such as Ed who really stand out. HIs content is authentic and connects with individuals on a human level. It is truly reflective of all of his years of experience and the lessons he has learned during that time that he is willing to share with others.

I hope that you will congratulate him in the comment section below, and do yourself a real favor, by listening to the podcast (https://bit.ly/3Qv6A0Q) and subscribing to his newsletter. I know you will not be disappointed and his unique sense of humor will most definitely lighten up your day.

On a closing note, I want to thank Dave Charest for hosting the podcast and doing a great job, and Steven Norman for supporting Ed to ensure that he is so very successful with his newsletter.