I honestly do not remember when, how, why, or any other details of the conversation.  What I do remember is the idea that lingered from it; an idea for the huzband.  Have I not learned yet that when I place even a drop of an idea [read challenge], this drop begins to swirl its way through his mind, coursing through his blood and eventually landing in his feet, putting one foot in front of the other, over and over and over again.  Some could proclaim that I did it to myself….. Some could.

What was this idea you ask?  It really was a thought, just a passing remark, hardly anything to take note of.  [Sigh]  Somehow, I brilliantly remarked, joked really, how the huzband could run fifty marathons by the time he reached the age of 50.  

I’m pausing for a moment as you allow that to sink in.

Still pausing.

.

I expect this conversation actually happened a few years ago, when the huzband was still living within his thirties.  Needless to say, adding, calculating, stretching, dreaming, realistically analyzing from all angles, he came to the truth, there is no way that is going to happen…..

That was until today.

[Crying, laughing, stuffing my face with leftover Thanksgiving dressing that I made, which I must admit is quite delicious.]

If you have not heard the news, the huzband has signed up and committed to running the oldest and largest ultra marathon in the world, Comrades in South Africa.  And if you have not guessed by now, yes, he is running with our beloved Team World Vision.  If the Alaskaman [read about it here] was not big enough, together we decided and committed to go yet even bigger.  Together we have committed to finding 100 children from Ethiopia a sponsor; someone committed to financially giving $39 a month towards a child, their family, community and the work World Vision is doing in their area to help bring a community to a place of 100% self sustainability [read clean water, education, agriculture, protection, care, health and so much more!]

So what does this have to do with fifty marathons by the age of fifty?  I’m glad you asked.  As we were relaxed in our living room, cozy in front of the fire, the Alaskan sun just barely beginning to reveal itself, the huzband calmly mentions how after training for Comrades, reaching 50 marathons by the time he is 50 might actually be a possibility due to the multiple marathons AND MORE that he has to run in preparation for Comrades.

Thus comes out the Comrades training plan and our very high tech counting instrument, our fingers.  To date, the huzband has run 9 marathons in his life.  Already a pretty lofty number for us lethargic slow pokes.  However, Comrades is introducing us to a whole new world: the world of ultramarathons.  Yes, that is an actual thing. Anything you run beyond a marathon, beyond the 26.2 miles, is technically called an ultramarathon.  

Oh, did I not tell you?  Comrades is 54 MILES OF RUNNING!!! in less than 12 hours

[Stuffing my face with more dressing.]

Comrades is an ultra running race and in preparation for it, in the months long of training, the huzband will have to run ten marathons or longer.  Yes, TEN, 10, DIEZ, DIX, DESET, ZEHN, 십, KUMI, how many more ways shall I say 10?!?!

From June of 2018 to June of 2019, in one year, the huzband will have run 11 marathons. 

From today to June of 2019, the huzband will have to run 7 marathons during his training, as well as run two training runs of 31 miles each.

During his training, specifically in the month of April, in one weekend, he will have to run two full marathons.  The following weekend will be a 31 miler followed by a marathon the very next day.  And non of this includes the 8 runs that are 20 – 25 miles.  

Actually, I have no pity for the man.  He did this to himself.  I just like to remind him of how much suffering he will be going through in the coming months.

[insert evil laugh….in a very loving and supportive way]

Needless to say, by June of next year, he will have completed 19 marathons or more.  Yes, we now are at a place that we have to include the “or more”.  No longer are we hanging out in the marathon mark but like I stated earlier, we have walked into a whole new world of ultra running.  It is only the beginning…..

I joke much of the time about the huzband’s running.  The audacious number of miles, the time it takes, how expensive really good running shoes are, how opposite I am as I sit on my behind and stuff my face, and so much more.

The truth be told, I am proud of the huzband.  Not because of the races he completes [though I am very proud of my Alaskaman!] but for why he does it, for how he invites each one of us into this journey, and for how he puts flesh, blood, and sweat to the Gospel, caring for our brothers, sisters, children, fathers, mothers, for those Jesus has asked us to love.

If you want to check out the new running list of marathons and more, the 50 by age 50, feel free to go check them out here.