Coming into the Thunder Road Half Marathon in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, I was keenly aware of the reputation of this race: a ton of inclines v. declines that test the calf muscles and will power of most runners. They don’t call it Thunder Road for no reason!
Read what it’s like to run on Thunder Road: Once in Enough. Bring on the Ice!
To see photos, go to: Thunder Road Half Marathon
Turning up to see the Red Rock Amphitheater started off as a venue to take in the beautiful scenery in Colorado, but quickly turned into a training session shortly thereafter.
To read more about this run, go to: Improvising on the Fly
Ever thought about running in Downtown Denver in a gorilla costume? Me neither until my friend ilana suggested it on my latest trip to the Mile High City. This was one of the most enjoyable race experiences yet!
To read more about this run, go to: Running Wild in the Mile High City
To see photos, go to: Denver Gorilla Run
There are a million different places to go for a run in NYC but when my sister suggested High Line, a former freight railroad transformed into an urban park, peaked my curiosity.
To read more about this run, go to: I am not Justin Verlander
Contributions are still rolling in for this past weekend’s Support the Climb of 5,164 fundraiser from people who were unable to attend or heard about the cause online and decided to donate. We want to ensure that our count is as accurate as possible for all those who have generously taken the time to support this special event. As a result, we have postponed our announcement until NEXT Friday, October 21st, upon which we will provide you with an official total.
To watch video of the event:
A film dedicated for all people diagnosed with PPA that struggle to communicate but are fighting everyday – Run4Papa is behind you!
I had the great pleasure of running alongside the sunset cliffs located in San Diego, California. The views Ever thought about running a sandbar from one end to the next? Me neither until recently.
View some footage before & after the sunset.
Read was it like to run 5 feet from some of the most beautiful cliffs ocean-side, go to: On the Edge of the Ocean
Ever thought about running a sandbar from one end to the next? Me neither until recently.
To see running pictures from the sandbar at Union Lake, go to: End-to-End
To read what it’s like to run end-to-end through the sandbar sandbar, go to: Run4Papa v. Sandbar
I managed to record a brief clip of the madness that captures the essence of the night:
9-10-11. Sure that sounds like a numerical sequence, but on this day, or should I say this “night,” that order of numbers would mark a very special evening for the University of Michigan football program. The first ever night game took place at the Big House between the two most storied universities: Michigan v. Notre Dame. 10 out of the previous 20 meetings have been decided by 5 points or less. This game has been “hyped up” for over a year in Ann Arbor and throughout college football. All you can hope for in a setting like this is for good weather and a close game, or as my father would say “I would be comfortable with a 30-point lead by halftime!”
The idea was to tailgate with friends for about 4-5 hours, head to the stadium, watch a competitive football game “under the lights,” and then run around The Big House at night. Pretty straight-forward approach (on paper) or so I thought…
Unless you have been locked away in some dark room or pretending you didn’t make the drive from South bend, you should know by now that this battle royale was one of the, if not “the” best games ever played at the Big House. Down 24-7 at the end of the 3rd quarter, the mighty Wolverines came back with a 4th quarter for the ages – an instant classic. A fumble by Michigan’s running back at the Notre Dame 1-yard line could’ve been disastrous, but QB Denard Robinson picked up the loose ball and ran in for the touchdown.
Momentum is a funny thing.
No matter what the venue or setting – be it a collegiate football game, a relationship, life or certainly training for the likes of the Great Wall of China. It’s contagious and you better take full advantage of the the ride when it’s moving your direction.
As Michigan narrowed the gap from 24-14, then 24-21, the stadium was erupting! I have been fortunate to see many games at the Big House, but this was unlike any my eyeballs had witnessed before. I couldn’t believe the atmosphere. With 1:10 to go, Michigan took the lead 28-24 on a dump-off pass to RB Vincent Smith. I couldn’t hear a thing, the noise level was deafening.
This was one of the greatest comebacks in Michigan history or so it seemed. 40 seconds later, Notre Dame scored a touchdown and like many times before, this game was being decided in the final minutes. I texted my good friend Derek and said “We are still going to win.”
:30 to go, Michigan had the ball on their own 20. An incomplete pass left :23 on the clock. My heart was racing, the stadium was shaking and the tension was eerily all-encompasing. Robinson stepped back and made a pass to a WIDE open Jeremy Gallon who sprinted down to the Notre Dame 16-yard line with only :08 remaining.
A field goal to tie, a touchdown to become legendary.
Michigan QB Denard Robinson took the snap…7,6,5, – the ball was lofted to the corner of the end zone, 4,3,2…
M.A.Y.H.E.M.
114,804 fans were going bonkers!!! Michigan wide receiver Roy Roundtree came down with the football making the final score 35-31 for the Maize & Blue. Originally, I wanted to run around the Big House for Papa & PPA research but this environment was too insane. I fully admit I got caught up in the chaos. The Big House was rocking, under the lights, and no one was leaving, not even the Irish fans (probably from being in shock more than anything).
Rest assured, I will return against our arch-rivals, the hated Ohio State Buckeyes. One way or the other, Run 4 Papa will run around the Big House even if it’s single digits outside in the heart of wintertime. I’ll just make sure not to wait until the very last second…although that can be exhilarting!
To see more pictures from the game, go to: Under the Lights
Former Detroit Red Wing left-winger Shawn Burr agreed to go on camera to help raise awareness for PPA research:
After a very fun and adventurous night out with my buddy Dan in Tampa, I awoke fairly early on Saturday morning. Instead of sleeping in, I decided to head up to the pool area around 9AM. I figured why not go for a swim before starting my day. When I got up to the pool deck, I changed course and headed over to the jacuzzi. Even my 32-year old bones need relaxing every now and then…
As I quickly sat in the mildly warm jacuzzi (keep in mind it’s Tampa and it’s plenty humid int he summertime), there was a man who looked eerily familiar in the hot tub. We started chatting a little bit only to find out that we both lived in the state of Michigan for quite some time. I introduced myself and he replied “Shawn Burr, nice to meet you!”
Like the Bill Rodgers experience, I felt a little embarrassed I didn’t recognize him at first considering my passion for all-things Detroit but he brushed that off pretty quickly and we continued chatting for the next half hour.
While Shawn still resides in Michigan, he was visiting Tampa to see his daughter compete in a volleyball tournament for Eckerd College. You could see the pride in his eyes as he spoke of her.
After laughing about stories of Michigan v. Ohio State, rivalries in the hockey world and likely some other stories that are best left on that pool deck, he briefly transitioned to an appreciation for life.
Shawn informed me that 8 months ago he had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and had undergone 4 rounds of chemotherapy treatment.
“The day before my wife and I went to the hospital she bought pomegranate seeds from Costco. In the morning, my tongue had red spots on them and I figured it was a reaction from the seeds. After getting some blood tested my doctor said ‘We need to check something.’ I knew I was in trouble.”
My heart broke. He went on to describe the past 8 months but was filled with a sense of optimism. What struck me most about this conversation wasn’t the fact that here was a 16-year veteran of the NHL who on the outside seemed to be healthy, happy and full of life, but rather someone who was frustrated with the lack of financial support to fund research for Leukemia.
“I was on meds that were helping and then all of the sudden the pharmaceutical company doesn’t receive enough funding and the meds are no longer available.”
I understood. I more than understood. I explained my cause to raise awareness for PPA research and how my grandfather and so many others were struggling with the disease. And like many other fatal diseases, the importance of research and funding is essential for progress.
He was inspired by my Run4Papa campaign and generously offered his support for the cause. As if we were friends since he got drafted in ’84 he said, “Email me when you get back to Charlotte and I will pass around your story throughout my office and garner support for your Papa.”
Shawn Burr, the left-winger I had grown up watching and rooting for in Detroit all those years was now backing the fight for PPA and my Papa.
