Since it is Thursday, I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.
Here’s what I’m thinking…
- You take people for granted when you don’t see them face-to-face.
I have mentioned many times that I joined the IRUN4 program and I was matched up with John Anthony 2 1/2 years ago. He suffers from mitochrondial (and other) disease and cannot go to school, run and do the things that normal kids his age can do.

yes, he recently dyed his hair green (that is the color in support of Mito)
In the beginning, I posted photos on the IRUN4 FB site every time I ran. I dedicated all my miles to JA.
I do send him race shirts and Christmas presents.
I also still run for him. But I have gotten lazier and lazier and now I pretty much only post pictures when I race. Luckily that is very often.
Just Tuesday, his mom posted this in FB and tagged me:
Mom: JA!! We are so blessed. He is a fighter. I can’t believe in just 3 days HE will be 12!! What!?!?! Yep. Our Mito warrior will be 12. We are so blessed and we don’t take it for granted either.
Me: I will run 12 miles for JA on Saturday.
Mom: JA says awesome and he doesn’t need to wish you good luck because you are the best but he does send you two thumbs up and big thanks. JA loves you. Side note. Notice the shirt?? Lol. HE loves his shirts. The ones you send him from your races mean the world to him!
Me: Sniff..sniff
I need to post more often. I do think about him a lot but unless I post, he doesn’t know it.
This is a great program. Check it out here:
Have you heard of IRUN4? Do you participate?
- Sometimes work is just work. That’s what is usually is for me. (Teaching was different. I loved teaching!)
This year, the law school where I work has decided to focus on being healthy.
In March, we had a Heart Healthy Challenge.
In April, we are participating in the Million Mile Month. You just log your miles & other activities to win prizes. My miles will automatically sync from my FitBit and I can also add in other non-walking/running activities like yoga, tennis, etc.)
So April 1, we had a fun kick-off event.
Here are some of the other activities that have been planned:
- Try Hula Hooping for Fitness, Wednesdays at noon in the gym.
- Play Beach Ball Volleyball (think volleyball with a beach ball and no rules-just fun) on Friday, 4/8. Drop in any time between 12:00 and 1:30 pm.
- Sign up for the Annual Communications Office 3-on-3 Post-March Madness Law School Tourney. A friendly but competitive co-ed basketball tournament. You do not need a team to sign up.
- Walk to the park and have a picnic lunch instead of eating in your office. Date: TBA
- Join the Albany Law School Team for the Albany County Bar Association 5K Law Day Run on Thursday, May 12th at The Crossings in Colonie. Run or walk. Kids welcome! Sign up by 4/15 for the lowest registration fee.
So guess who is in charge of recruiting runners for the 5k? Yup, ME!!
If you work, are your co-workers into fitness?
- I not going to whine about the fact that it is still winter here! Or maybe I am.

Me on Christmas Eve

Me on April 3. I am not smiling about the weather. It was our 3rd attempt at a selfie.
How’s the weather where you live?
- I signed up for a 10k this weekend. I am thinking of switching to the 5k. The 10K is hilly. So it would be good practice for my upcoming hilly half in 2 weeks. But it will be part of my 12 mile training run. I like my training runs to be flat and easy (to avoid injury.) I am too competitive to slow down in a race. So I may do the 5k and then run 3 more miles. After that, hopefully, I will have company for the remaining 6 miles. Or I may grin and bear it and run the 10k and run 6 more miles on the Zim Smith Trail.

this year it is April 9 – and it’s one of my favorite races
Any advice?
Happy Running! What’s up with you this Thursday?
You give back. A LOT. I don’t think you have anything to beat yourself up about.
I think I do need to run Saturday, simply because I have to do my long run next Friday, and that allows me to run MWF next week (really hoping the weather cooperates with me!).
I guess you’ll figure it out Saturday.
LikeLike
Well, I hope you run with me for 6 of your 10 miles.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s the plan, I think. Still kind of worried there will be icy patches (especially with the wintry mix predicted for Friday).
You’ll have to let me know when you want to meet, so I can let my other friend know, although I suspect she’ll want to get it out of the way earlier in the day.
LikeLike
That’s great that you run for JA and so cool that he loves the shirts! It sounds like you’ve got a lot of fun fitness activities coming up at work. There are a couple people in my department who are active but most of them aren’t. Good luck recruiting people for the 5k! I’ve found that it helps to specify people can run or walk so that people who are new to 5ks aren’t intimidated so that’s great that’s in the description.
LikeLike
Yes. I hope that a lot of folks do walk it if they don’t want to run.
LikeLike
I agree, sometimes we do take people for granted when we don’t see them. I have an aunt who chose to become homeless regardless of family support and help. I forget to pray for her nearly as much as I should remember, thank you for the reminder:)
Good luck with your recruitment for the 5K, I think you’ll be awesome at it, you’re already such an inspirational person no doubt your personallity will bring on many runners!
Have lots of fun in the 10K this weekend!!!
LikeLike
#Irun4Noah!! Great program and I love running my miles for him!
LikeLike
Awww! What a sweetheart JA is (and his mom too) – and wow, your 12 miles run is going to take on such meaning now. You are a good person, Darlene. 🙂
LikeLike
I love iRun4! I do most of communication with my little fella on his/his mother’s Facebook rather than the iRun4 facebook (not on purpose initially, I just couldn’t figure out how to tag my running buddy from the main Facebook for some reason — could tag others just not him — so I’ve just left it that way) and I just love hearing how he’s doing and watching him grow up.
LikeLike
After spending the last five days in wintry Massachusetts visiting my Mom, I won’t complain about my weather again. I know you are ready for real springtime. Your fitness challenge at work sounds like fun and no surprise that you won a prize for the Heart Healthy Challenge. Congrats on that and good luck with your April challenge. I love that you run for John Anthony, what a great organization.
LikeLike
I am so done with the weather. It was snowing today again! And so cold
Your April challenge sounds like a blast! Enjoy!
LikeLike
The IRun4 program sounds amazing! How fulfilling it must be to be matched with that sweet, green-haired boy! Love it! We had alternating driving, sideways snow then bright sunshine all day today. It’s supposed to be bone-cold and snowing for my Chicago’s Perfect10 race on Saturday. Good times.
LikeLike
It supposed to be cold here too this weekend.
LikeLike