My Game, My Rules!

This is a popular saying I first heard from Dave McGillivray, the well-known elite endurance athlete who is also the race director for the Boston Marathon.  In fact, Dave has not only been the race director for 32 years but he has run it for 47 years IN A ROW. This includes last year’s marathon only 6 months after a triple bypass.   Dave used to be neighbor when I lived in Massachusetts and I would see him often on the roads or at races that his race management company directed.   Every year on his birthday Dave would run his age in miles.   Last I heard he was planning on taking on the challenge when he turned 65.   My Game, My Rules.

I’ve adopted this philosophy when I put together our 7 Day Marathon Challenge leading up to the 2020 Boston Marathon.     As I mentioned last blog, with the Covid situation the Boston Marathon has been moved to September and I planned to move my Marathon Challenge to match.   Well, as I am prone to do these days, I’ve changed my mind and plan to go ahead with the challenge this week.   My Game, My Rules.

It’s not that I’m a gluten for punishment, (although my wife may argue the issue), or that I’m bored out of my gourd being locked down (that’s definitely contributing to my already questionable sanity).    The reality is I’ve been thinking a lot about how the lock down is affecting the children stuck in the hospital fighting cancer.    Our limited lock down, isolating us from our friends and family is just a small sample of what these children are already facing as they fight cancer.     Given their compromised immune systems their restrictions are even more stringent.   I can speak from experience that when you are fighting the disease for an extended period of time in the hospital, the support of friends and family is crucial. 

 

So, I owe all the people who have supported Help in the Nick of Time a big Thank You for what you have done to help.   Your contributions have allowed us to supply laptops and tablets to pediatric cancer wards to keep the children connected to family, friends and the outside world.   In addition, we have been able to send boxes of toys and activities to help them pass the time and distract them from the drudgery and pain of treatment.  

It’s now my turn to do my part.  I promised to do a marathon over 7 days in under 6 hours and starting tomorrow we will be kicking it off.   While not as impressive as Dave McGillivray’s efforts last April, and a far cry from running the Boston Marathon, it is a major step forward from the 8 hour challenge I set this time last year.    If nothing else it will keep me busy and get me out of the house (which will contribute to my wife’s sanity). 

I will drop a quick update at the end of the week.  

Stay safe!