Exciting Cowtown Marathon Weekend

Congratulations to the Cowtown Marathon for staging a highly successful race weekend.

I love their events and have tried to run one of their races every year since I moved to Fort Worth in 1980.

I ran the 5K and finished first in my age group and in the top 2% of the race on Saturday, then ran the half marathon and finished fourth/top 5% on Sunday.

I’ve been battling feet injuries for the past few months and being kind of old (61), didn’t expect these results.

The weather conditions were less than ideal – it was warm and humid and the wind gusted up to 20 mph – but nothing approaching the freak ice storm that cancelled almost every race last year.

I also enjoyed cheering on the third through fifth grade children at the school I’ve supported for many years as they participated in their own CALF 5K race, the largest such event in the United States.

I’ve been a big supporter of the CALF program for many years. We encourage our kids to exercise and eat healthy foods. Over 5,000 children have their race registrations paid and receive new running shoes thanks to the Marathon’s generosity.

Over 18,000 people ran or walked in the weekend’s six races, including over 6,000 children. Congrats to everyone for climbing out of bed at 5 or 6 a.m. and wanting to challenge themselves.

You could feel the excitement in the air, especially after everyone had finished. It was a celebration of fitness and life, with parents and small children and teachers and students running on the same streets with elite athletes.

My Marathons

I was also honored that the Star Telegram posted this interview where I discuss how hard running a marathon can be. Click here to watch the video.

I’ve proud to have run 56 marathons with one in every state. Most were run after I turned 55 years old, the same time I became a vegan. Somehow almost all races have qualified me for the rigorous Boston Marathon requirements. It is an honor to get to run Boston again in April.

Why exercise?

People have asked me why I want to go out in often bad weather and punish myself by running, especially at my age. Wouldn’t golf be better? Yes, I’ve played many rounds of golf, but it doesn’t begin to compare with the the challenge and excitement of racing.

I enjoy setting training goals, lining up at the starting line, hearing crowds cheering, and earning medals. I especially enjoy the feeling of being in some of the best shape of my life.

Yes, running is hard. But practicing law can be grueling so this is an excellent way to stay in shape. Writing motions and briefs, taking depositions, and fighting for my clients during often lengthy trials is arduous and tedious.

No doubt my hobby gives me greater endurance and toughness and helps make me a more effective attorney I also lift weights three times a week. I encourage other lawyers — and everyone — to make physical fitness a priority.

Just do it

Exercise is a proven way to control weight, lessen disease, curb fat, promote strong bones, improve self-esteem, and increase longevity.

It is a national disgrace that over one-third of adults and one-eighth of our children are obese. Did you know that the annual cost of treating childhood obesity alone is over $14 billion? Why don’t our politicians ever discuss solving this devastating problem that is ruining our health care system?

Why aren’t we as a country doing more to prevent diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and Alzheimer’s which kill 1.5 million people a year?

I encourage you to push away from your computer, put down that hamburger, and take steps to improve your life. You won’t regret it.

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