How Far Can You Run?

I loved to run as a kid. I ran track in High School. Then I had a series of knee injuries and knee surgeries in college because of football, leaving me injured for most of my twenties and unable to run. I never got terribly out of shape, but I carried more pounds than I wanted to and I really missed running.Then, at age 29, something changed. I started running again. The turning point happened three years ago, on my 30th birthday when I ran from my house to the ocean just to see if I could make it. That run changed my life. Next came my first marathon, I ran 26.2 miles on a dirt trail in the mountains with my two running buddies, Ron and Barnaby (pictured below at the end of our race).That marathon was almost three years ago. This weekend the three amigos gather again. We will run an ultramarathon, a 50K race that takes us from the peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains, through a redwood forest, and ends at the Pacific Ocean. Along the way we'll gain 3,000 ft. of elevation and lose 5,000 ft of elevation. It's going to be a brutal and beautiful run.How far can I run? I'll find out this weekend. I didn't train enough for this race, but I should be able to at least have fun and finish it. Those are my two goals for the race: have fun and finish.Don't run if you don't like to run. I run because I love it. I run for my mind and heart as much as I run for my body. Nothing clears my head, relieves stress, and puts me in a great frame of mind like a great run. Some of my best ideas, best times of prayer, and best conversations with friends come during my runs.Happy running.