Nine days!

Let me start out by doing something that no one has ever done before. I'm going to quote the Bible out of context.

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?"

Well, in the gospel according to Marathon Don, it doesn't work that way. Yes, there will be some skinny, speed guy who crosses the finish line first. And he'll get his finisher's medal and a hug. And a trophy. 

But here, everybody wins. 

"I've lost 100+ pounds, and I'm running a marathon." 

Is that a win?

Runners running to raise tens of thousands of dollars for Leukemia and Lymphoma research.

Is that a win?

Last year, I got an email from a 70-year-old who had hip replacements. He knew he couldn't move very fast, but he just wanted to do one more marathon and he couldn't find a race that would let him take as much time as it might take him. Of course, I said yes. His son stuck with him all day, as he walked the course with walking sticks. He arrived at the finish line close to 5:30 p.m., finishing DFL (Dead Freakin' Last) with a smile on his face and his son at his side.

WAS THAT A WIN?

There area as many stories as there are runners. Some of us race to finish first - overall or in our age groups. Some of us race to conquer our own fears and limitations. Some to test their mettle. Some to help others. The finish line is a place of VICTORY, for everyone who crosses it.