Sergeant Tony's Blog

I’ve lost track of the half marathons that I’ve run. It’s a bunch.

These days, I get my greatest joy in running by helping others run half marathons.

Every year I conduct two different half marathon training groups; one begins in early September and one begins in late January. Training for the 2009 St. Jude Half Marathon begins this coming Saturday.

After running the St. Jude Half Marathon in December 2004, I was walking around Redbird Stadium looking for people I’d trained that fall. I cheered for them as they crossed the finish line or hugged them and gave ‘em high fives if I found them after the race.

One girl, I’ll call her Jill, had just run her very first half marathon that year. Six months prior to that she couldn’t run 50 yards without stopping. But there she was at Redbird Stadium. She had just run 13.1 miles!

2004 had been a rough year for Jill. She’d gotten divorced, lost her job, found a job, been a victim of a robbery, moved to a new place, and had lost her dad. She had been coping in some fairly self destructive ways. And then she joined USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP at the urging of one of her friends.

Jill started losing weight, started finding a new strength, started to run … just a little at first. By the time early September 2004 arrived she was just barely able to run/jog/walk 3 miles in 36 minutes. Just enough to qualify for my half marathon training.

Over the next three months, Jill seemed to blossom and bloom. A young woman with few friends and seeming to be rather closed and reserved. Slowly though she’d started to come out of her shell. It was amazing! The transformation in her life was awesome! She seemed happy and outgoing. She laughed and joked with the other people in the training group! Was this the same woman?

I missed seeing Jill cross the finish line on that day in December when she completed the St. Jude Half Marathon. When I found her she was with her new friends, wrapped in one of those foil blankets, with her finisher’s medal around her neck, and a smile as wide as Texas across her face. But when she saw me, the smile left her and her countenance completely changed. (This happens a LOT when women see me!) And then she started to cry. (The natural next step after a woman sees me!) And we hugged each other! I kept congratulating her over and over. And she, through tears, kept thanking me! She was full of joy!! What a feeling!?!!!

I must admit … I got a little misty eyed.

I can’t imagine that winning the half marathon would have given me more happiness!

Exercise is always about the spirit. Sometimes it’s about the physical. But it’s always about something far beyond what you see with your eyes.

A friend of mine is going through a hard time. She’s got a broken heart and feels a little lost … She’s started running. Someone told her that time would heal her spirit … and I told her that if time heals, then exercise is the salve.

Exercise is the only thing I know that works, for sure. It’s not a gamble. It’s not coins tossed into a fountain. When nothing else will, exercise will.

You will get back more than what you put into it. It’s GREAT for the body and soul!

Hope to see you on the Quarterdeck!

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HALF MARATHON TRAINING BEGINS SATURDAY — IT’S A FREE RUN!!

Our 6th Annual St. Jude Half Marathon Training begins on Saturday, September 5 at 8 AM! This will be our 11th half marathon training platoon!

We will meet at the U of M on September 5 and 12 due to activities at Shelby Farms on those days. Park inside the parking garage on Zach Curlin (Mt. Fuji) and meet down in front.

If you can run/jog/walk 3 miles in 36 minutes or less, you are a candidate! It’s easier than you think! Every year half of the members of this training group are new and have never run a half marathon!

Cost of the three month training is $75 for Boot Campers and $125 for “friends of Boot Camp” (non-boot campers).

IMPORTANT NEWS … if you are a new half marathoner, or you’re not sure if this training will work for you, this Saturday’s training run is FREE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED! You can try it out with no obligation!

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TUESDAY & THURSDAY EVENING CLASS

Starting this week, both the Tuesday and Thursday evening classes will meet at St. Mary’s track. Those classes begin at 5:45 PM.

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LABOR DAY SCHEDULE!

We will have only one workout on Labor Day at 7 AM at CUMC. See you then!

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If time heals all wounds, then exercise is the salve.

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
Memphis, TN
901-644-0145
www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com