We have another 5k tomorrow.  Yes, another 5k.  They host a lot of 5ks over here I have noticed, but it is cool.  I am 30, I ran competitively my last two years in high school, basically coached and trained the next four years, then re-joined the ranks of competitive racing again in college.  I mention all of this because in runner years I am reaching that “old guy” age where most runners agree that you should be bumping up the mileage and making your way down Marathon Alley unless you are some Nike sponsored Elite like Adam Goucher who has all the attention of people fixing to make him healthy and able to compete at the shorter distances.  And although I never made the big bucks being sponsored by Nike or Asics, I am currently running semi-professionally for the Brooks ID Program and I am very happy with the support they provide and their great gear.

My thing is I don’t feel 30.  Maybe it is because for the last 8 years I have been surrounded by what we call, “fresh legs” because of my return to college running and coaching/training after my collegiate eligibility ran out.  Fresh legs are what we call the incoming freshman.  Some are coming off of a successful track program, most with the dream of being the next Webb, Hall, or Flanagan.  You can tell real quick, the runners who put in the mileage over the summer and the ones who slacked off.  As a coach I just ask they be honest with me so they don’t get hurt trying to put in too much at once.   Well, it has been those “fresh legs” and that little voice in my head that keeps telling me “You are not done”, that motivates me to keep training for these shorter races.  When track season rolls around, I can even be found racing an 800 or 1500.  Yes, I will be that old guy competing at Drake Relays one day in the Masters Division, only 10 more years, so lets stay healthy Josh!!! J 

Over here in Iraq, we had a running club, The Anaconda Running Club.  But with time the members have redeployed or left for reasons I may not ever understand.  I have put up flyers to try and keep membership up, but it is hard to get people out in 90-100 degree heat at 8:00 at night to run.  I also run in the morning around 5:10am, but that too is an issue, or was for a couple people.  The 5K over here is just the perfect race for most soldiers because from what I have learned by talking with many of them, the 2 mile is the distance they use in their PT test.  Everyone compares their 2 mile time, everyone. 

I put together a half marathon training program for a couple people over here, I hope it works out for them and myself.  I think the Half Marathon is a good race for me because I can finish it knowing I pushed hard and competed to the best of my abilities.  These 5ks are all we really have for races over here right now, they can be used as speed workouts in my eyes, and once it gets closer and closer to the race month, I will not be running any 5ks.  I have been labeled at work as the running man, I have even had soldiers come up to me and ask about running and training, which has been great because I love sharing information about training and learning about their personnel goals and ambitions in the running scene.   Brooks ID stands for Inspire Daily.  I hope I some how inspired at least one person while over here and not just put a target on my back as the guy to beat or in some cases, avoid.

So it is almost July, as discussed in my last blog, I will miss the home town run, the festivities and most of all, the family.  But as I have been told already, my family members will be running in honor of me for the Fire Cracker Run, and that truly means a lot to me.  I will also be running with a purpose this Fourth of July.  My Aunt will be going to St. Louis for her second Lung transplant, (she was given six months to live over a year ago, and with shear determination, support, love and prayer has surpassed those sad, horrible dates that came from the doctor.)  I have run every race in honor of her since we were made aware of the news.  This fourth of July race will be a special one as my Aunt will be in room 2111, which happens to be the address of my Aunt and mom growing up as kids, (I believe in signs and that is a good one!!) awaiting the go ahead from the doctor to make the transplant.  As mentioned, it will in her honor, and I hope anybody reading this will keep her in your thoughts and prayers when you are out running your annual local Fourth of July run, even if it is just a 5k…