42.2 years, 42.2k, even more thank yous

To celebrate being 42.2 years old, I ran 42.2k today and felt like a very lucky man. Like about half of my marathons so far, I ran well for 35 or 36k and then a bit slower for the last 6k. I wanted to get as close to 3:30 as possible and I finished in 3:36. But it was a great day that celebrated life and running and raised money for a great cause.

I’d like to start by thanking my iRun colleagues Lisa and Donna, who were there for the whole run, staffing water stations at both ends of our course. It was a longer day for them than it was for me.

I’d also like to thank Brian, who ran the first 22.2k with me, Bob, the best possible training buddy, who ran the last 10k, and Rick, Heather, Len, Cameron, Cathy, Nancy and John (and Rayne) who jumped in along the way. And Sonja and her sister and friend, who helped us set off at the start.

And Rick Hellard, who measured the course, was very precise. My Garmin showed 42.21k at the end of the run. How much closer can you get than that?

Most of all, I’d like to thank the more than 70 people who donated to support my run for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. We’ve raised just under $6,000 so far, with a few more promised donations still to be tallied up. It’s very gratifying to be able to turn a run into a good cause.

Thanks to everyone for their words of encouragement and support. It’s been a great day.