First Donation

I just clicked submit on my first A Buck A Mile donation. I ran (part of) the Andy Payne Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City on May 23, and owed $26.20 to a group. Below, you can see some of the groups I considered giving to.

Somehow, Special Olympics just felt right this time around. Maybe they don't meet needs in the same way as a food program would, but the group brings a lot of joy to a lot of people.

If you would like to give as well -- and, ultimately, I hope the idea of A Buck A Mile goes WELL beyond just me -- you can do it online.

Maybe you've just done a marathon and want to do $1 a mile. Maybe you do $5 a mile for a 5k. Everything helps.

Race Report

A brief look at the race, the Andy Payne Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City. I hoped to run a 3:45 in my second marathon -- and second in a month. I also had an inkling that in the small field, that time could win my age group, or at least medal.

It was a warm but tolerable start, and I spent most of the time on a 3:30 pace. But expected cloud cover never developed, and it was approaching 80 degrees by the time the third and final lap around the lake started. I allowed myself to walk through a water station, and said I'd walk as needed. I did that, but at mile 22 found myself dry heaving along the course. After a rest, I could not stop panting, even while walking. Feeling heat distress setting in, I called it off.

Found a ride back around the lake with another guy who was taking a DNF. He was out searching for a friend who, it turned out, was yet another DNF.

Of course, I gave the full $26.20 to Special Olympics. Not their fault I had a bit of a failure.