The Journey – 568.0 Miles, Peach Springs, Arizona:
Leg 00100 - One HudredToday is a HUGE milestone!!!

The big news on this leg of the A2B journey is the leg itself. Triple Digits!! It’s the big 100!! Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! (Only six or seven hundred more legs to the Boston Harbor!!)

It has been fun and sometimes scary sharing my runs and running thoughts. Thanks to those who have been so supportive and encouraging (especially during the down days).

Here’s to the next 100!!!

The Run:
Yesterday, I flew to Helena, Montana. When I left North Carolina it was 85 degrees. I arrived in Montana to 46 degree weather. So even though it is June 1st, I had to leverage the 20 Degree Rule in preparing for my run.

I took an extra long time stretching and preparing for lots of hills.

Since I am suddenly at a much higher altitude (3,875 ft vs. 751 ft), I took today’s run nice and easy. At this elevation, they are about 3 quarts low on oxygen. They are also about 4 quarts low on humidity. So it is hard to breath and break a sweat!

Beautiful day and vistas all throughout the run.

Looking forward to getting a more acclimated over the next week.

The Mind (Thoughts While Running):
DCAM0053Today is a big day personally as well. It’s one of those milestone days that creates a powerful collage of emotions for this father of four. My daughter, Marissa, is graduating high school today. (This makes 3 of my 4 out of high school, which is just weird because I am not old! How did this happen?)

My heart and mind are running full-bore! I am feeling and thinking so much at the same time.

I am reflective. Looking back over the past 18 years, Marissa’s journey to this point of her life has certainly been interesting. Full of turns and twists. Full of smiles, laughter, and amazing memories!!

I am proud. Like her brothers and sister, Marissa has had her share of challenges to work through. I am proud of her for getting here.

I am worried. What does the future hold for my sweet daughter? From a father’s perspective, Marissa (again, like her sibs) is her own unique blend of tough and fragile. Where she is tough, I know she will land on her feet. It’s the fragile facets that I want to shield. Mostly, instead of waiting to see where life will take her, I hope she will actively create the life of her choosing!

089 - CopyI am grateful. I am thankful for who Marissa is. She is a kind-hearted, nurturing young woman. She has been that way from the get-go. She smiles a lot. She is very social and is comfortable in almost any situation.

More than anything else, I love this wonderful young woman who is my daughter!! I am so happy that I get to be her Dad! It has been fun watching her learn, grow and experience!

I can’t wait to see how she writes the next chapter of her life!

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Email: a2b@sub4minds.com
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