Today is...a day to take a step forward.

Today is a day to take a step forward. Another healthy breakfast of Greenberry Shakeology, a little time with the kids before school, a short time on the computer with my 3 dogs next to me as if telling me to navigate to a pet related website, a run with my marathon running friend Matt Brown to preview a 10K route we are running on November 14th, social media sharing and continuing my job search. That is an overview, and I'm sure there will be much more to accomplish around the house and oh, I can't forget about that tire on my truck that is low on air. Hopefully, its not flat this morning.

Well, now that the kids are on the bus, the Today show is on television showing a Chinese Alligator, Yellow frog from the Amazon and the Bald Eagle that are all on the verge of going extinct. Amazing. Animals that are potentially going to be gone before our children have a chance to see them. That is a great reason and reason why we really need to start our planning today. My plan today is to continue my marathon training and run at least 6 miles today. 6 miles is just under 10k so running and previewing the 10k route will be perfect today.

I was very happy to check my inbox last night and see an email from my good friend Matt Brown asking if I was interested in joining him on a run today. Matt has a great story and I will dedicate another blog just to him. He has a story that deserves more than just a page on my site, but I will do my best to share his great story of triumph. Anyway, Matt just completed this years Chicago marathon and anytime I can get a chance to run with someone who has completed a marathon and is willing to share their experience or tips with me I think I should listen. Today we are planning to preview a route that we will be running on November 14th called the Gobbler Hobbler. I have actually run the course a few times as it is basically a local course located on a bike path very close to where I live. The course is overall flat with a few small hills taking you on a journey through a subdivision and local parks. It is an out and back course so at some point you get to see the leaders coming back at you and hope that they are not too far ahead. It is always inspiring to me to see the leaders come back past you the other direction. I know that they are well above my level of fitness and it also allows me to gage where I am on the course.

The difference with todays course is that this race will be on a course that I know. I know the turns, I know the hills, the flats, where the turnaround is, how far it is to go and possibly a point where I can say, go all out. I think this will be a great race for me to stretch my legs a bit, push slightly and see how I have improved over my last 10k run which was the Nike Human Race 10k downtown Chicago which I ran as more of an easy jog and just to enjoy the scenery.

Back to today, I am very excited to take on the run today, enjoy the conversation and establish a strategy with Matt on how we both plan to run the course. Spending time with other runners is great as I think it provides you a chance to share thoughts, ideas, and just spend time with others that have the same love for running like you do. I usually come back from a run in a good mood and ready to take on my day. It gives me the extra motivation to complete my goals. After running a long distance and feeling the sense of accomplishment, what can't you do....nothing! You can have success in everything you set as a goal for yourself by establishing the steps to get there.

After my run today I will be one run closer to running my marathon. One day closer to meeting the other runners from Team Hole in the Wall, the great charity I am running for, and one day closer to running for the children with serious diseases that I will be helping to send to a great camp. For them, I am running to finish and reach my goal. For them, I train. For them, I share my story. For them, I want to share with others the way to reach their goals.

Today, I dedicate to the kids at Hole in the Wall camps across the world.