I’ve used Running Ahead to keep track of all of my runs over the past 5+ years. One of the stats it shows on the main page is my total overall mileage. A few months ago, I noticed that I was coming up on 5000. With this morning’s 10 mile run (OK, it was really 10.01 miles, of course), my total is now 5000.1 miles.
I still can’t believe it.
I’ve been through a lot as a runner. I’ve had terrible moments, like losing my car key in Ohio, or my ankle giving out with about 3 and a half miles left in a race. But I’ve also had some amazing moments, like my nephew running after me during my first marathon, or the New York City Marathon in general. (I still have a soft spot for the 2014 Thunder Road Half Marathon, and actually saw someone this morning wearing the shirt from that race, which was really cool.)
Ultimately, it’s been rewarding, and I know I’m a better person now than I was when I started. I love running, even with all the bad days, and I hope to run another 5,000 miles, and then some.
I had to take a picture to commemorate the occasion. It’s near the entrance to Freedom Park, and when I hit 5,000, I was on the path near the first tree in the picture. I was actually running toward the camera, but trust me, this is a much better view than looking out towards East Boulevard.
