It’s not an actual race coming up, but it’s for a good cause.  This Friday June 3rd is the Mahnomen County Relay for Life.  Last year I took part in this event by running twenty miles (80 laps) around the track I do most of my outdoors training – at the Mahnomen High School track.  It took just under four hours to complete with about a 45 minute break in the middle during the lighting of the luminaries. 
This year I’m going to switch it up a little bit and go a little farther.  In order to accomplish this, I’ll have to start before the actual opening ceremonies in Waubun.  Taking a half day from work will give me time to accomplish this.  Back in high school football we used to do something called ladders.  They consisted of starting at one of the goal lines, going to the five yard line and back, ten and back, fifteen and back, etc…until you got to the fifty and back then you were done.  I’ve decided to add a little bit to that.  I’ll instead be doing the same ladder we used to do in high school, only all the way from goal line to goal line this time around.  That would be four ladders complete, 8,400 yards equaling 25,200 feet.  That’s a lot of feet!  That will equal just over four and three fourths miles – so I’ll have to go 81 laps instead of just 80 this year too.  It will be worth it.   My coach Les Drechsel (Drex) passed away from cancer my senior year of high school during the football season, homecoming week.  He taught me a lot about discipline, hard work and believing in myself when it comes to not just football, but life in general.  He taught me that no matter how big or small you are, no matter how strong you feel, as long as you set your mind to something, you will do what's needed to accomplish it.  He also opened my eyes to the fact that quitting is an option, but it could make you a weaker person in the future if you quit something as simple as a high school sport. 
I’m raising funds to help out this organization I’ll be aligning with, the Mahnomen County American Cancer Society.  All I’m asking for anyone that wants to help out is a minimum of 50 cents per mile.  If I reach my goal of 25 miles, that’d only be $12.50.  That amount of money can go towards many great things for cancer patients. 
I think the extended cross training that I’ve been doing will help out to make this a possibility.  I felt pretty good after the half marathon just over a couple weeks ago.  
The next actual run event will be Thursday June 16th in Hillsboro, ND during their Hillsboro Days that evening.  The remainder of the schedule you can find on the Runs/Schedule part of this website. 
Thank you all for your support in advance for this long run.  And to let you know, during the ladders I will try to finish as quick as possible, but not over doing it.  The first portion of the track running will be done with the flag (about 40-50 laps) then after the lighting of the luminaries this year I will retire the flag as I didn’t feel right carrying it without a light shining on the red, white and blue during the entire time.  Maybe for the final mile I’ll bring it back on to the track and finish strong, we’ll see how things go!  
If you’re around the Waubun area Friday evening, stop on out to the track and check out Mahnomen County Relay for Life!  I’ll be there with bells on…or just a shirt, shorts and carrying a flag around the track.  Close enough. 
Good luck with all of your training and events you’re taking part in this summer!