Dana Jones, an AARC member and long-time Fun Runner, recently informed us of his minor accomplishment:

Dana does indeed have something exceptional to be recognized for.  Not just for the amazing amount of marathons he has completed but also the amount of time he completed them in. 

Dana writes:   ...................................... Ok, I'm just a mid-pack runner like so many of your fellow club members / readers, but Presidential sky-diving I can never top. Former President "Senior" George W. Bush celebrated his 80th birthday today by jumping out of a plane at 13,000 feet, free-falling to a safe landing, to the delight of spectators like former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, Bo Derek, Larry King, and Dennis Miller. Just hope I can do something that notable 30 yrs. from now. This year, I'm content to have just stayed upright, firmly on earth, finally completing 50 marathons last week, on my 50th birthday, June 6 (no celebrities present, thankfully). Ho-hum, so what? Sure, hundreds of other runners and walkers have completed more marathons, some even starting later in life. 

One guy, Bob Fletcher (click on following link) http://www.50statesmarathonclub.com/50dc/streaking.html got the jump on me, doing 50 marathons in 50 consecutive weeks back in the '80s - now THAT is impressive - check out some of the other "notables" on that website. (I do think I have the silly egotistical distinction on this 50-number thing, even convincing the San Diego Rock-n-Roll Marathon organizers to sell me the race bib #50, too, along with a pretty cool surfer-dude bauble-head at the expo!) But I'm simply thankful to have had the health, time, and opportunities to do these "races" the last 10 yrs, only qualifying for Boston once in Philadelphia in '98 at 3:19:15, and proudly finishing a casual slowest PR of 5:29:01 in '02, shooting 5 rolls of film along my favorite marathon course, New York City, and altogether averaging a nice, slow, "safe" 9:50 pace for all marathons combined. (For the record, I did my first marathon at age 40 to stave off a pending mid-life crisis - it's still a crisis that just won't go away!) Hey, no matter what the speed or distance we do, though, isn't it great to get out and run? It just seems like with each passing year, as we hear the sad news of our friends, relatives, acquaintances, and even former Presidents passing on out of this life as we know it, we just have to embrace and cherish the joy of living, and running, even more so. Running does define our lives, among all the other activities we're involved in, and isn't it good to take pleasure in the privilege of celebrating life this way? Ok, what next? Well, I'd like to join the 150+ runners who've finished marathons in all 50 states - maybe a nice, life-long goal, but on 2nd thought, why not a 100th marathon on my 100th birthday? Hmmm, hope I live that long. Anyone care to join me? In the meantime, maybe I should actually try "racing" a marathon for a change. See you out on the road! .......................................................
Dana Jones
Lansdale, PA

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