13.1 Miles of Fun. The Half Marathon for Everyone

Most kids don't need a reason to run.  Create a game and most will involve some amount of running, chasing, hiding and seeking.  Most dogs and cat's also enjoy running around and playing either with kids or with eachother.  Most adults reason that they don't need to run.  If no one is chasing you and you don't have to chase your food to catch and eat it, what's the point?  You can play any number of games on your smartphone or Xbox where characters will do all the running and chasing for you.

Besides, what's the point?  Running makes you sweat, breathe heavily and get tired.  You might have to go outside, find a safe place without traffic or crowds and get some fresh air...  Certainly that's a waste of time and effort, isn't it?

Statistics tell the story for the modern lifestyle's lack of emphasis on physical fitness and exercise.  Each year the percentage of overweight and obsese Americans grows.  A few years ago it passed 50% of the adult population.  Now, over 50% of the high-school and younger population is either overweight or obese.  Even kids are showing signs of heart disease before their teenage years.  There is no sign that this trend is going to reverse any time soon.  This bodes poorly for the future of our society as there are few medical problems that are not made worse by obesity.  From heart disease to diabetes and cancer... obesity makes these conditions more likely and harder to reverse.

Now I am no paragon of fitness and health myself.  I am firmly situated in the overweight category for my height and according to 23 and me genetic research, I am pre-disposed to be 4% heavier than the average adult male of my height and age... which means 202 + 8 = 210 lbs.  I have other factors that keep me from being my physical best.  I like beer and have anywhere from 4-10 beers in a typical week.  

All of my adult life I have been working to keep my weight as managed as possible, but I have been as high as 240 lbs in 2008 and as low as 180 lbs in 2012 with unsustainable eating and exercise habits that were nothing to be proud of.  What I have realized is that I am not able to maintain an unusually low body weight by dieting and exercising like I did in my 20's.  That's just not practical for a working, 50-something year old guy.

So, what is my recommendation for people like me to get healthier, exercise more and reduce the likelihood of dying young from most of modern society's ailments...

Run, hike or walk 13.1 miles in a single day 4 times a year.  It does not have to be an organized half marathon ( though that can be a goal to achieve ), it does not have to be done fast so that you are sweating and exhausted at the end.  It should be done at a comfortable pace, that does not injure you, and that you can work up to over the course of 3 months.

For some people, that first 13.1 miles may take 5 hours.  Many will be able to complete it in 4 hours.  I often pace people in half marathons at 3 hours or 2 hrs 45 minutes.  At most of these races the fastest people are already home resting before I finish the event.  But I am not out there to set a record, I am there to help average people like myself achieve a goal that will help them to stay healthy, live in a healthier old age, and attend their grandchildren's weddings.