18,000 miles I’ve run since I started this crazy journey on the 2nd of August 2000.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have guess that through some high times, some lows, some injuries and some challenges I would still be running 17+ years later.

Running and a fitness life style have added so much to my life.  Over those 17 years I’ve logged a lot of miles…and became a better person.

18 Lessons Running Has Taught Me

1.  Time away from a problem makes it much easier to solve…and running gives you that time and creative energy to see the solution.

2.   Running helps to make a bad meal, or snack not so bad.  I’ve also learned that unfortunately you can’t outrun a bad diet.

3.  I’ve met a lot of good great people (friends) running.

4.  My health has improved beyond measure.

(On the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, May 2016)

5.  I seen things/places I would have never experienced without the run.

6.  I’ve reinvented who I thought I was.

7.  Life is sweeter while on the run.

(The second of two articles I’ve had published)

8.  I’ve found my creative voice from running, I’ve found I can tell a story about my run.

9.  Miles are more than a measurement of distance.

10.  To stop and smell the roses.

11.  Sometimes its fun to be lost.

(Sub 24 Hour Buckle From Umstead 100, 2014)

12.  I can do more than I ever thought.

13.  A mile is a really long way.

14.  A mile is nothing at all.

15.  When someone yells “BEAR” in the middle of the night, you’ll run faster….it does not matter if you ran 80+ miles before hand.

16.  I can completely change my clothes in my car without flashing anyone.

17.   80% of the people do not return a friendly wave while running.

18.  When I look for a reason to NOT run, I normally find more reasons that I should.

AND Finally…

(I Ran 102.5 Miles Down the Outer banks of North Carolina)

I may never win a race, or place in my age group, but I can do epic, I can run epic and my life will be epic. ~ Brian

P.s. thanks for reading my blog, here’s to the thousands of miles in front of us.

P.s.s My thoughts when I ran my 15,000th mile.

For all the miles, for all the time we spend on our feet. For all the running we do over different terrains, different distances and for our different training objectives. Turns out most runners are thinking about the same things. That is according to a study in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Those thoughts could be grouped into three categories:

Pace and Distance
Pain and Discomfort
Environment

This study got me thinking about all the things I think about while running.  I was onced asked, what do you think about during a long run, my answer….everything and nothing at all, and with much skill I master those complex trains of thought all at once.

Ten things I think about during my long runs.

1. Oh, this first mile sucks…

2.  I hope that dog does not eat me, followed by I hope that girl, guy, old person, young person, middle aged person, monster truck driver notices me while texting/talking on their phone.

3.  What a beautiful sunset/sunrise.

4. My pace, am I running to fast for my long run or am I running to slow for my short run.  It’s a paradox.

5. Sex…okay I’m a guy.

6.  I hope that hill ends soon, followed by, I need to run more hills….I Love hills!

7.  Is that a blister forming or is that muscle twinge an injury coming on?

8.  I wonder what it’s like to sleep in…

9.  Will the Cleveland Browns ever turn it around?

and

10.  Quiet time with God.  (not really in scope with #5 but then again, I’m a guy.)

So what do you think about on that long and sometimes lonely open road?