Happiness = Runningness

It caught your eye, right? You'd think I'd meant to say the "pursuit of happiness" or something revolving around the lack of contentment in life? While I'll admit it's a catchy phrase we all know, its been used too often and quite literally wouldn't fit the context of what I want to say of running in my life. I mean, what if you already have happiness and contentment in your life? Does this mean, then, that I have a lack of running in my life? Not exactly, as I train almost daily and enjoy every moment of it. But where's the lack that provokes a pursuit?

Well, I have a wonderful wife who loves and supports me, two great children who think Daddy is all that and a bag of chips, a strong foundation in Christ Jesus, and a passion for running and adventure. So what's my pursuit; what am I trying to convey here with this blog? Well, in a nutshell, I'm a relatively happy person who wakes up on the right side of the bed most every day, who enjoys the endeavors of running and the fitness it provides, and who wants to grow stronger every day both physically and spiritually as a Christian. The pursuit I have is continuing those elements in my life, all while using running as a metaphoric motivator. So in a roundabout way, without so many words, I am pursuing "runningness". Maybe it's better seen as the combination of my running with my life's passions, experiences, and beliefs.

I guess I am hoping this blog will help to chronicle my running endeavors, both goals and accomplishments, in daily and weekly experiences. Through my frequent running retreats training for marathons and races, as well as the scriptures, revelation and the constant building up of my faith, I hopefully will be able to share some insight into what makes my life the happy and content life that it is.

Now I have to admit ... I have a small additional motive for this blog. I really want to run the NYC Marathon. I mean, co'mon folks, what runner wouldn't want to experience this epic marathon once in their life?! You see, I've run every race of my life - from road races to adventure races - here in the midwest region. In fact, my only marathons have been either Des Moines Marathon or Grandmas Marathon (Duluth, MN), all 16 of them. I just would like to for once "break out" of the midwest mold I've created over the past 22 years of my running life and experience a race in a different area of the country, possibly on a grander scale. I guess starting this blog is to create some running accountability and possibly grow additional confidence. And, in a simple sense, while I run this road I will try to blog and share the experience, hopefully until its eventual completion.

We'll see what happens.