From the Editor’s Desk

Brent Manley

The best time to make friends is before you need them.

— Ethel Barrymore

Friendly strangers

barring some unforeseen problems. It took me a long time to complete the 50-states goal, but considering that I had a full-time job throughout the adventure, I think I did okay. It helped that I didn’t have to cope with injuries I might have

When I started running in 1984, I had no idea sustained had I been focusing on a finish-time goal. what I was doing, but it didn’t matter. I was enjoying I logged state number 50 in the fall of 2014 in the it. When I learned some things I needed to know, I Maui Marathon in Hawaii – 18 years after deciding to enjoyed it more. go for the 50 states. I survived really bad conditions When I decided in 1996 to run a marathon, my goal was to see if I could do it. I followed a training plan I was that day – a Tuesday – notably a record high temperature and a hilly course. I found in a Jeff Galloway book. The regimen was designed for runners whose only goal was finishing. enjoying It was a long, hard trek over the 1,310 miles – the mileage for 50 marathons – but I enjoyed every bit On a cold, rainy day, I made it to the finish line of the First Tennessee running of it, mostly because of the people I met. In my experience, runners Marathon and was pleased that the are special people, especially those training had paid off. In 1997, my wife pointed out that the University even who undertake daunting challenges. I’m thinking of people like Brian of Memphis was offering a course on marathon running, so I signed up. I thought I probably would learn some more ... Williams, who has written about his incredible adventures for this publication several times. things I needed to know. I was right. It’s amazing to think that Brian The course was taught by Mark Higginbotham, and can finish a 100-mile run and still have the energy to from my perspective, it was a big success. It went write about it. so well that I was able to record an okay time in the Few runners, of course, go for the gusto the way 1997 Chicago Marathon before entering the First Brian does. I would love to know his stamina secret. Tennessee Marathon that year. I did much better in my What I’m getting at here is that it’s great to be third marathon than I had done in the two previous around serious runners, especially marathon runners. marathons, taking 13 minutes off my time in my first In most of my marathons, I have managed to 26.2-mile effort. catch up with or be caught by runners going at a pace

I was enjoying running even more, especially similar to mine. That gives us the chance to talk and when some of the runners who had taken the share stories. I remember running the Blue Angel Higginbotham course started running together Marathon in Pensacola FL for the second time and regularly. It wasn’t long before we started talking meeting a man going at my pace. At that point, my about the idea of running a marathon in every state. mind was on a trip I was taking about a week or two That appealed to me, so I gave it a try for pretty much later to Newport RI for a “double.” I was running a the same reason I had to run my first – I wanted to marathon in Rhode Island on a Saturday and another see if I could do it. I didn’t expect to run any fast in Connecticut the following day. The man I was marathons (my PR is 4:27), but I thought I had a running with was 72 years old, and somehow the topic chance to get to the finish line in each of the states, (continued on page 25)