Challenge,  running

Another Fun Run

Last One Before the Big Weekend…

Every week Kris and I have been going out and doing these early-morning fun-runs for different causes. This morning was something to do with the Marines.

A platoon of clearly recruits (very young, meaning college age) or something were running at cadence and I fell in behind them and stayed with them for over a mile. Not bad for an 67-year-old guy.

I ran the last part with a 71-year-old Navy guy who served on submarines during the Vietnam War. That was interesting and he left me in the dust near the finish.

I have dropped about 22 pounds since the first one of these, but still not anywhere near back in any kind of what I would call good shape. Still carrying far, far too much weight.

Next weekend Kris and I run in the Rock and Roll runs. We are both doing a 5k on Saturday and then I am doing a half-marathon (13 plus miles) on Sunday. Starts in the evening and they shut down the entire Strip.

I will run/walk from the middle of the Strip out past the airport, turn around and go the entire distance of the Strip into downtown and Fremont Street, go around a block and then back out the Strip to the finish in front of the Mirage.

Now that will be interesting to say the least. I will be snapping pictures the entire way and still hope to break three hours.

Here is a picture of me with the dog tag medal from the run on my forehead because it wouldn’t fit over my fat head. Kris is modeling hers.

5 Comments

  • Harvey Stanbrough

    Those in formation were probably some of the Devil Pups (not yet enlisted) and maybe recruiters, etc. who are stationed there. If memory serves, there’s also a contingent of Marine Corps reservists there. According to the website the run was a Memorial run to commemorate the upcoming Marine Corps birthday and Veterans Day.

    Good job staying up. If they were running in formation, they were hitting 180 beats (steps) per minute. (grin) Semper fi.

    • dwsmith

      Yup, all of that, Harvey. Thanks! There was a group that was clearly not enlisted. A number of those ended up on their own and were clearly out of shape and I passed them. But the ones I followed looked very professional, very much in condition, and never broke ranks, so more than likely the reservists. I was pretty happy to stay with them for a mile plus. Interesting listening to the chants as well.

      • Jo

        Oh the marching jodys. That’s the one thing I miss from the military.

        Dean I’ve been getting some miles in on the road recently as well. There’s something about going a few miles that feels better to me than lifting or any other type of exercise. And safer. I seem to pull something out of whack whenever I get into a regular lifting program anymore, so walking, hiking and marching has been great.