Today is the 30th anniversary of when I started running.  I always remember the date because it was Tax Day 1983 when I was in Turkey during my Air Force days when my runner room-mate bet me a case of beer that I could not stick with him for 3 miles.   Well, since I just happened to be out of beer at that time...     A longer running life than some, a shorter one than others.

Not exactly the smartest way to start my running life, 3 miles right off the bat.  But I made it!  And promptly puked afterwards.  And was huffing and puffing for quite a while afterwards too.  Realizing what pathetic shape I was in - at 29 years old! - I started doing a structured program, using the plans from The Runner's Handbook by Glover.  Started with run/walk plan, then the "Build Your Weekly Mileage" plan, then the 5K plan, the 10K plan, and the half-marathon plan.  Love this book because all these plans transition from one right into the other, so very easy to use, and after finishing my run/walk stage, this program answered that eternal question of all beginners: Where do I go from here?

During my running journey I discovered many things about myself including - surprise surprise! - I love running!   Because I was in the Air Force for 24 years and served 16 of my 24 years in overseas locations, I have been lucky enough to run in some very interesting and unique places, such as Hawaii, England, Scotland, Wales, Norway, Turkey, Greece, Kenya, Somalia, and many more.  I have had quite a few 'adventures' along the way - some of you who know my history have heard about some of them - and after getting onto the RW forum initially in 1997 and then this one later, I have had the pleasure of traveling to many races and meeting in person many great people I met first through the forums.   I look forward to hopefully meeting more of you in person in the future.

I''m not sure exactly how many running miles I have accumulated - when I was reassigned from England to Wright Patterson in Ohio, I STUPIDLY packed my running logs and they got lost in the move - but I know my last log entry for my TOTAL running mileage for my 9 years of running by then was 17-thousand, something.  I had strict discipline back then - not anymore, lol - and after my first year of run/walk and mileage build-up, I ran 40 miles a week - and went to 50 miles a week during the time I trained for my only full marathon - Honolulu 2000 - and I had a regular long run of 13 miles every Sunday morning.   I continued that 40 miles a week until my spinal arthritis flared up in 2003, at which time my mileage plunged - I'm averaging about a measly 18 miles a week now.  So, figuring in some down time for various things during my running life - 2 knee surgeries, hernia surgery, illness, etc - I calculate I loosely have about 45,000 lifetime running miles.

One thing I have learned during my years of running:  Stuff happens!  At any given time, we all get injured or ill, and one thing is certain we all get older.  All these factors affect people in different ways and hopefully you can get over it and stay as strong a runner as you always were, or even become a better one. But eventually, the day will come when all of us will not be the same runner as when we started.  For me that day came in 2003, when my arthritis flared up really badly.   Well, I could cry and whine about it, but personally I much prefer to laugh at myself than to cry.   So you adjust to the hand that you were dealt and you play it the best you can.  Most certainly I am not the runner I was before.  No more actual 'racing."  No more running without walk breaks.  No more distance running.   But that's okay.  I had a really good run - no pun intended - in my previous running life, it was great.  But now I face the fact that that life is no more.  So I have adjusted my running goals and my running life and I am still enjoying what I think is a pretty good quality running life.  Not as much quantity as in my past, lol, but still good quality.  I do my races as fun runs now, take my walk breaks, take my photos, do my reports, still run with a lot friends, and am always making new ones...and somehow I still manage to keep having 'adventures', lol....why just the other day (Sunday, April 13) on a PM run, I met these fellows...

Now, how many people can say they got to pat an Emu on the head while out on a run?   Nope, I don't find my current running life boring at all.  It certainly is DIFFERENT than my running life before.  But not any worse.  So I will keep on plugging away, keep my sense of humor about things that happen, and...keep on running in my own unique way for as long as I can.

I wish everyone a happy and long running life and I hope you have as much fun with your running life as I have had so far with mine!

Oh, and a blast from the past for you!

Me (with Gail on our wedding day in Hawaii in 1985) when I was still in the early years of my running life.....about 40 pounds lighter back then too, lol.

And the 21st century me...still enjoying my running life!

Happy runiversary Scotty!

Congrats, Scotty!

Happy runiversary!!!!

Happy runniversary, Scotty! Here's to 30 more years.

What a great story that you continue adding chapters too. I always look forward to your RR!

Congrats on a Pinksational journey, Scotty!!   This is a wonderful accomplishment, and I wish you many, many more years of happy running!!

Happy Runniversary!  I know a lot of us enjoy the running you do these days.