A Little More than a Race

Almost a year ago, I was training for the Marine Corps Marathon so that I could prove to myself I could do it in less than three hours, and qualify for the Boston Marathon. In complete honesty, these are my goals again this year, but I have decided to run for a little bit more.
Honestly, I missed the cut off date to register for the race this year, and therefore, technically cannot run the race. I knew there were programs out there that would allow you to run in these races if you raised money for a certain orginization. I noticed that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital was one of those charities, and living here in Memphis, where the hospital is located, I decided that seemed like a worthy cause. For those who do not know what St. Jude is, or what they do; they are the world's leading researcher to help children with terminal cancer. Children from all over the world and the country come here to recieve the best treatment possible, no matter their income bracket or health insurance. That is why it is important for there to be people out there raising funds for the orginization. Having lost two grandparents so far to cancer, I figure any cancer, whatever age, is a cancer worth beating.
As if this were not enough to make this some sort of Runner's World human interest story, it is also a story of the Selby men, well some of us, well there are not many of us left, minus my 3 year old and 19 month old twins, but they aren't marathoning any time soon. My father, competeting, well better said, attempting his first marathon, and my uncle who enjoys running will be joining me. Well in reality, they will be running the same route, but hopefully they will be a little ways behind me :). It started out as just a fun thing for us to do, but it turns out it will be much more of a bonding experience than that. On September 16th, roughly one month before the race, we will lay my grandfather to rest in Arlington National Cemetary, the end and beginning point of the marathon, anyone sensing Disney chasing us down for the rights? Though our family has never had a major rift in it, we have never been a group for the sentimental, but in recent years, we have all drawn a little closer and I believe this will be something for us to all share and relish as we look back upon it.
I will report on the progress of all three of us as often as I can, as well as my progress with raising the money, $1000, I need to be able to race. If for some reason you are looking for my fundraising page, and are not finding it, it is because I have not set it up yet, that is the plan for later this week.
For the next three months, follow us as we raise, run, and perhaps even cry a little, as we work towards starting, and completing the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC.