I’ve noticed a correlation between travel and weight, that probably isn’t surprising to anyone. My weight typically fluctuates between 195 and 202 pounds, and has for many years. The consistency is attributed to my daily run of 3 miles that takes place every day regardless of where I am. However, travel sometimes interferes with the distance, as we rush to catch early morning flights, prepare for a fully day of skiing, or need to meet a friend or tour guide. In these cases, the length sometimes shrinks to a mile, the minimum I need to run to maintain my running streak as monitored by the U.S.R.S.A. runeveryday.com.  

My active running streak of just over nine years is ranked 203rd on the list and 3rd in the state of Oregon. One of those runners is also from Portland, ranked #72 at nearly 10,000 days (27.34 years). He’s six years younger and if he were to stop tomorrow for some reason, I would need to run another 16 years to catch him. The other is from Lake Oswego, ranked #146 at nearly 12 straight years. He’s 16 years younger, so it’s unlikely that I will ever pass him. To provide some perspective, the overall leader, who lives in California, is approaching 49 consecutive years, with the record belonging to a British runner who surpassed 50 years. There are currently 787 active runners who have completed at least one year, 365 consecutive days. My current goal is to get into the top 200, but it will require three other people to have to stop after over 9 years of the daily discipline. I would not wish that on anyone, because I’m not really sure how I would psychologically handle having to quit. It’s such an important part of my life, and how I start every day.

I’m obviously fortunate to have not had knee problems, surgery, or a significant illness to prevent me from continuing. Death is inevitable, so “the streak” will stop some day, and I hope to be able to persevere until that final moment on earth. It’s part of my legacy, but undoubtedly more important to me than anyone else.  I want it to be part of my obituary, as one of my accomplishments in life, right up there with college graduation, career awards, and becoming a D.T.M., Distinguished Toastmaster. Each of these honors involved years of discipline, and are unique aspects of my life. Hopefully, there is a correlation between running and a longer life, so I can continue to move up the list.

Running has allowed me to eat whatever I like, and that’s not always a good thing. One good habit does not necessarily offset a bad habit, but it certainly helps me control my weight. My friends and family are often astounded with my eating habits, that include “too much” and “too fast.” Fortunately, I’ve never had stomach problems, and maybe running has had a role in that? I’ve run with serious colds, bad coughs, the flu, headaches, dress shoes, aches & pains, and hangovers. I only enjoy the finish line, and often wonder how I’ve made it to the starting line all these years. I’ve jogged on cobblestones, in foreign countries, on third-world islands, in 30 U.S. states, unsteady cruise ship treadmills, race tracks, hotel hallways, basements, gyms, highway rest stops, parking lots, crowded airport terminals, dark alleys, uneven roads, soggy grass, fitness centers, muddy surfaces, dirt trails, and beach sand, with broken ribs, sore toes, and blisters, at all hours of the day, and in all kinds of weather conditions.

The older I get the slower I run, so three miles sometimes takes twice as long as it once did. I’ve run races of all lengths from dashes to marathons, distance relays, but never got into ultra-marathon or triathlon events. The longest I’ve run is probably 30 miles, and at one time put in over 116 training miles in one week. The 200 mile Hood to Coast relay was one of the most unique races I’ve run, along with the Detroit Free Press Marathon of 1979 that started just over the Canadian line and finished at Belle Island, making it a true International accomplishment. This should also probably be noted in my obituary.

I don’t know if it’s water gain associated with airline travel, change of diet, or frequency of dining, but I always hesitate to weigh myself after returning from a trip. It takes about 3 days, but I’ll always seems to quickly shed 5 pounds or more after returning home. This upcoming 14-day excursion of multiple flights, unlimited cruise buffets, and bottomless booze is the next test of running and dining discipline. However, we’ll also be doing a lot of walking as we visit Amsterdam, Venice, a number of Mediterranean coast cities, Grecian islands, and Athens. Chances are good that I will be a svelte 195 when I leave and a pudgy 202 when I return, with a wide variety of running experiences to share.