by Running Dad | Aug 6, 2014 | Trails of Thought
A co-worker and friend shared with me today about one of their relatives who have a baby that is having problems right now. The little girl was born yesterday and everything was good, until she started to turn blue. It turns out the valves on the back of her heart are reversed. Today, they had to stop her heart and switch the valves around. I have not yet heard how the surgery went.
These words about baby Reese hit home this morning for me. Both in an emotional way making me very sad, and at the same time, it put what I have been doing in focus. I finally have a personal connection to one of the babies that my efforts with The Lucas Fund can touch. Since June 2013, I personally have donated a dollar for every mile I have run to the UVA Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I will hit 2000 miles this month. Knowing that those efforts, while doing something I love, is helping baby Reese and her family – it makes me feel a lot better and thankful for the very short time we had with Baby Lucas.
I will be running and praying for Baby Reese and her family.
by Running Dad | Aug 6, 2014 | Running Tips
Body position and posture is one key to proper and healthy running form. You want to have your body weight directly over your feet when they hit the ground and your hips and head aligned as well.
(more…)
by Running Dad | Jul 18, 2014 | Trails of Thought
Running has changed my life in a lot of positive ways. In July of 2013, I decided to make my miles matter to more than just me. I began donating a dollar for each mile I ran to charity. I looked back at the list of monthly donations for the past twelve months. The total on my dollar per mile contributions alone came to over $1700.00.
If you have not read or heard my back story, my wife and I lost our first son, Lucas Carson Sanders, just a short period of time after he was born. After his death, we set up a charity to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Virginia. We wanted to help other families who are facing the reality of a risky birth. The money goes toward diapers, blankets, binkies, equipment; everything babies need. It also helps with accommodations for the parents that are waiting and praying for good news. So every penny helps.
Having an incentive (that is not just personal) to run makes those long training runs, rainy days splashing through the puddles, suffocatingly humid days, or painfully boring treadmill runs a lot more tolerable. I recall several times I felt like quitting on a run, but remembered I was running more than for just myself.
I run For Lucas. http://www.forlucas.com
by Running Dad | Jun 5, 2014 | Hydration / Nutrition
Someone recently asked me, “What do you eat?”, in regard to running and staying fit. It was actually a tough question to answer. To be honest, I still struggle with my diet. Fortunately my running and physical activity keeps the weight off, but I would like to trim a few pounds off to help with my running speed.
(more…)
by Running Dad | May 19, 2014 | Race Reviews
Do you ever get nervous before a race? I usually don’t, but this race had me looking at last year’s times to scope out the competition, strategizing starting position, stressing over shoe choice, and sweating the details. I wanted everything to go perfectly.
The race I am referring to is the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Bloomin’ Kids Mile. (more…)
