My friend, Steve had trained his heart out for the 2013 St. Jude Marathon. This would be his first 26.2 (a feat that remains on my bucket list) and he raised money in honor of a child in need of a medical miracle.
Imagine his disappointment when the marathon was cancelled due to a winter storm.
What does one do with that disappointment? Eat a dozen donuts? Vow to never run another step? Run for the Taco Bell Border?
In Steve’s case, he and his training buddies, with the help of our local Fleet Feet, created the Memphis Mulligan to take place the following Sunday (while everyone was still trained for marathon distance).
Steve anticipated being one of the last people to finish the Mulligan, so he recruited friends and family to run sections of the course with him. I had a church commitment that day, but had I been available I would have chosen to run one of the final miles, when he was so tired that perhaps I could have kept up with him.
As I’ve shared before, the most I’ve ever run was 21 miles. It takes me forever to cover that distance. I can’t imagine Steve and his training partners running a marathon with no crowd support. No one holding crazy signs like this.
By completing the Memphis Mulligan, Steve honored a self-promise. I find that highly motivating. You can read is account here.
482gr8 