Well the last two weeks of long runs are complete, with this past weekend being the longest I've ever run before, 22 miles. We didn't exactly have spring like conditions either. It snowed practically the entire time, but nothing accumulated. It was cold. It was wet. It was awesome.
When I started on this journey, I started with the hashtag 26 miles 26 dedications. Man did this take a long time to write! I've tried to keep this one short, but with 26 dedications, that didn't quite happen. There were so many things I've wanted to say, but I did what I can to keep the personal information out of those dedications as those are not my stories to tell. However, I still wanted a way to honor all of these people.
One of the main reasons I have chosen to run for the Mario Lemieux Foundation for the last few years was not only because of my love for Penguins Hockey, but because of what the organization does for cancer research, as well as Austin's Playroom at Children's Hospital. I know so many people are affected by cancer in one way or another, and it just seemed like the right charity for me to help. Some of my dedications played a part in my choosing this charity. And, to run for such an amazing organization, it's been an honor and a privilege. It's also been a privilege to honor everyone listed below.
With that being said, here are the 26 dedications, and they are in no particular order (well except maybe for the first few.) This is the longest post you'll all probably read, and, I do hope you read it. If it's too long, take a break and come back to it at another time. Just please read and enjoy.
Mile 1 - My parents. It's kind of hard not to dedicate the first mile to Chuck and Ruth. I could tell you a million things about them, but just to put it simply, they are awesome. I could not have asked for better parents. My dad suffered a stroke when I was a senior in high school at the age of 44. At the time, I really didn't quite grasp what had happened. What I never did admit was that I was scared. I didn't want to lose my dad when he was so young and still had so much to teach me. I'm glad I didn't. He may not be able to run anymore, but he's a very good reason why I chose to run a full marathon. He's my hero and I'm going to do him proud. And my mom? You would think out of five kids, one of us would have graduated from college. Nope. She did instead. Pretty awesome feat if you ask me. She makes me proud, and I'll be damned if I don't make her proud.
Mile 2 - How about the rest of my family? My dad's side and my mom's side. We may not see each other as often as we would like, but we are all still in touch in one way or another. What is my life without my family? Pretty boring actually. 4 awesome siblings. Crazy cousins. Aunts and Uncles who can make you laugh. I wouldn't be where I am today without the support of the rest of my family.
Mile 6 - Mrs. Donna Koffler. My second "mom." I'm sorry that in my adult years we never got to see each other as much as we did when I was younger, but you always had a positive influence on me. You fought many a hard battle, and when you were taken from us, I'm just glad I was able to be there for everyone when they needed me. I has so many fond memories of you, and those will keep me going from mile 6 on. We miss and love you Mrs. K.
Mile 8 - Paul Kikel. I met Paul through Bonnie. His wife worked with Bonnie a few years back. At that time, we were all participating in a charity bar crawl called the CFC: The Crawl For Cancer. We had a lot of fun. At the time, Paul had won his battle. But as the years went by, he eventually succombed to that battle and heaven gained another angel. He was a great husband, and awesome day, and a pretty cool guy. RIP Paul. This mile's for you.
Mile 9 - Lou Majetic. I didn't know Lou on a personal level but I grew up with his sisters and we still chat today. We may not have seen eye to eye, but I think that's because neither one of us really got to know each other. What I do know is that he was stricken hard with cancer and it took him away from those that loved him. I know his family misses him every day. RIP Lou. Mile 9 is for you.
Mile 20 - Dana Zinsner Miara, Moon Class of 1990. We've seen your battles from afar since you no longer live in Pittsburgh, but no matter how far you are from home, love and support surrounds you. This one is for you.
Mile 21 - Mike Alberter. Mike, I loved working for/with you, Carmella, and Dave at Jekyl. I love that place and although I'm pretty much retired as a DJ, I still love that place. We had a lot of fun there, and you were the best boss I ever had in a bar/club that I DJed in. The bar crawls for the Lymphoma/Leukemia Society are all in your honor and your hard fought battle, one that you had won. Thanks for always being a great boss, a great friend, and doing great things. This mile is for you Mike. #teammike
Mile 22 - Bernie Augier. Bernie....just keep doing what you are doing. I can say nothing more except I'm proud to be your friend. You get this mile.
Mile 23 - My buddy Mike Lewis' girlfriend Michelle Conklin. We have yet to meet, but one day we will. Keep on fighting. And for mile 23, I'll keep on running.
Mile 24 - Aaron Plunkett. Aaron was one of my best friends growing up. He was sidelined a few years back from an injury but wanted to get back into running. Unfortunately, training did not go well for Aaron as thta old injury resurfaced. I'm grateful that he was willing to take this journey with me, and sad that he can't any longer. Just know this: I'll cross that finish line for you; I'll cross that finish line for both of us.
Mile 25 - My friend Lisa Richetti. You fought your battle and you won. It's always an inspiration to see you stronger than ever. #cancerfree
Mile 26 - The final mile. The finish line is in sight. And, so are all of my friends. I can't forget you all. 15 years ago I'm pretty sure not one of us would have said, "I bet you could run a marathon." We would have all looked at each other and laughed. Bryan, Amy, Sarah, and Steph (the run buddies.) Joe, Tony, Chad, Mike, Carie, Chrissie, Cathy, Kim, Shelby, all of you guys. Trever, Eric (Noll,) Doug, Eric (Hoye) just to name a few more. Seriously....just too many to name. Without your encouragement, I would not be here today. I just hope you can all see me cross that finish line, because when I do see you all, there will be some mad hi-fives coming your way.
Wait....
I thought a marathon was 26.2 miles? It is. So, I guess I have another dedication. That last .2 miles, well, it's for you Pittsburgh. The home of the black and gold. The home of one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. The home of one of the oldest teams in Baseball. The home of Mario Lemieux and his Pittsburgh Penguins. Your home. My home. Pittsburgh. It's the greatest city on the planet. #truth
Before I sign off from this very long post, I wanted to take the time out to thank everyone at Steel City Road Runners, especially the coaches. Your guidance and help has gotten me to where I needed to be to tackle this marathon. Your training and dedication to all of us first timers was something I learned from, and it has made me a stronger runner. And, what would training be without perfect strangers on the long runs helping each other to keep each other going? That's the way it should be: people always helping other people to achieve great things. Special shout out to Coach Kim for Track Tuesdays, Coach Besty for my 18 and 22 mile runs, and Coach Suzanne for my first 20 mile run and everything else she has taught me. And special shout out to all of Coach Suzanne's runners. We didn't just do this together. We are doing this together. I'll see you all at the finish line.
Last but not least I wanted to thank all of those that donated to my fundraisers the last three years. The amount of money we were all able to raise is just unreal. Mike Sears you were a huge part of the success the first two years and I am still grateful. Dawn DiCicco you as well. There were well over 100 of you that have donated over the course of three years and some of you donated more than once. I am humbled by all of your generosity and proud of what we have accomplished together. I'll see you all at the finish line, too.
Wow....this one was long. I hope you all stuck around until the end.
So, until next time, keep on running.
Sinceriously,
Chuck Hull.....The Running Jedi
#runpgh #gameonpgh #26miles26dedications
There is still time to donate for those that would like to do so. You can do that by clicking this link:
https://www.crowdrise.com/LemieuxPittsburgh2016/fundraiser/chuckhull
When I started on this journey, I started with the hashtag 26 miles 26 dedications. Man did this take a long time to write! I've tried to keep this one short, but with 26 dedications, that didn't quite happen. There were so many things I've wanted to say, but I did what I can to keep the personal information out of those dedications as those are not my stories to tell. However, I still wanted a way to honor all of these people.
One of the main reasons I have chosen to run for the Mario Lemieux Foundation for the last few years was not only because of my love for Penguins Hockey, but because of what the organization does for cancer research, as well as Austin's Playroom at Children's Hospital. I know so many people are affected by cancer in one way or another, and it just seemed like the right charity for me to help. Some of my dedications played a part in my choosing this charity. And, to run for such an amazing organization, it's been an honor and a privilege. It's also been a privilege to honor everyone listed below.
With that being said, here are the 26 dedications, and they are in no particular order (well except maybe for the first few.) This is the longest post you'll all probably read, and, I do hope you read it. If it's too long, take a break and come back to it at another time. Just please read and enjoy.
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| Mom and Dad at Kennywood a few years back. |
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Mile 2 - How about the rest of my family? My dad's side and my mom's side. We may not see each other as often as we would like, but we are all still in touch in one way or another. What is my life without my family? Pretty boring actually. 4 awesome siblings. Crazy cousins. Aunts and Uncles who can make you laugh. I wouldn't be where I am today without the support of the rest of my family.
Mile 3 - Due to life changing now and again, mile three is mile 3.
Mile 4 - Bonnie and David, as well as their families. I look up to those two. I've seen the things that they have accomplished with both pride and admiration. They've always been there for me, and I'll always be there for them.
Mile 5 - What about the kids out there in my life? I can't forget them! Sure when I said family that kind of includes them, but I really have to give them their own mile. All my nieces (Micaeyla, Marissa, Morgan, and Brit, Rayne) my nephew Alan, my other "nieces" Stella and Marina. All you kids give me hope for the future. I see you all achieving great things. I see you learning. I see you trying. I see you never giving up. Just know that I won't give up either.
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| Little Marina The Rina Roo. |
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| An older pic of Alan, Micaeyla, Marissa, and Britney |
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| My Niece Rayne |
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| Morgan, apparently joining The Dark Side |
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| Stella Bella |
Mile 6 - Mrs. Donna Koffler. My second "mom." I'm sorry that in my adult years we never got to see each other as much as we did when I was younger, but you always had a positive influence on me. You fought many a hard battle, and when you were taken from us, I'm just glad I was able to be there for everyone when they needed me. I has so many fond memories of you, and those will keep me going from mile 6 on. We miss and love you Mrs. K.
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| Mrs. K. |
Mile 7 - Cy Clark. It still feels weird watching a hockey game without seeing the "Hulk Hogan" guy on TV now and again, and there will be a time where it may even be a distant memory. However, it's one memory that I'll never forget. I may not have known him like a lot of other people, but it was nice to chat with him on Facebook here and there. As I said, I'll never forget him. His friends will never forget him. His wife and family will never forget him. Malkamnia will always run wild.
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| Cy Clark - Malkamania running wild at a Pens Game |
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| Paul at the CFC in 2010 |
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| Everyone from the CFC that year. |
Mile 9 - Lou Majetic. I didn't know Lou on a personal level but I grew up with his sisters and we still chat today. We may not have seen eye to eye, but I think that's because neither one of us really got to know each other. What I do know is that he was stricken hard with cancer and it took him away from those that loved him. I know his family misses him every day. RIP Lou. Mile 9 is for you.
Mile 10 - Angela and Chris Dutko. The mother and brother of a friend of mine. I have not seen Rachel and Jordan since their wedding, but I know Rachel is going through a very tough time right now. This mile is for them and their family.
Mile 11 - For Rich McNemar. Rich was a friend of my best friend's parents. He was a funny dude and we shared a birthday. He used to take this garden gnome with him on work jobs and post pics. Cracked up up all the time. Sadly, he was taken from us too soon because of cancer as well. We all miss you Rich. I may not have known you a long time, but I'm glad that I had gotten a chance to have met you.
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| Rich and Fran at the Smith's Luau a couple years ago. |
Mile 12 - Carole Bartley. I know your niece Amy and have met your daughter Tammy. You were taken from them far too soon and unexpectedly. Mile 12 belongs to their memories of you.
Mile 13 - Stephen Amell. Yeah I know, he's the star of the CW's "Arrow." He also seems like a pretty cool cat. He'll never see this and I'll never get a chance to meet him but the things he does for his fans and for charity is amazing. He shares his life with everyone and that's not easy for someone in the public eye. I've donated to quite a few of his fundraisers, and I'll keep on doing so. The Arrow likes to tell the bad guys that they "have failed this city." Come May 1st, know this: I will not fail this city. Sinceriously.
Mile 14 - Wes Zablocki. Wes was the nephew of Velveeta's very own Brian Kriley. He was taken from us too soon. I've never had the chance to meet him but I did get to meet his family at last year's Wes Stock fundraiser which my band got to be a part of. We'll be there again this year, too, and it will be an honor. This mile is for you Wes. For information on Wes Stock, click here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1547886988854876/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1547886988854876/
Mile 15 - Jim Steckel. Jim is the husband of one of our supervisors at work, Debra. I had never gotten to meet Jim personally but I know how much he meant to Debbie. RIP Jim. Mile 15 is dedicated to your fight, and your love of a good cigar and a damn good beer.
Mile 16 - Todd McIntyre. Todd is also the husband of another co-worker, one of our account managers, Karla. He has run over 30 marathons and if memory serves has done a few tri-athalons as well. Although he can't run at this time, I'll run for him. This mile is for you, sir.
Mile 17 - To My co-workers Michelle Beck, Susan Bivona, and Kathy Westfall. Getting stronger everyday and never giving up. Mile 17, I'll still be going strong, and it's with all of your help. I'd also like to include other co-workers that may not be in the company anymore, but have had the same fights are are relaxing at home and enjoying life.
Mile 18 - Evan Ziemniak. His story is still fresh on a lot of people's minds. It's still fresh on mine. It was the last blog post I had published. I may have already dedicated 20 miles to Evan, but I'm giving him one more. RIP Evan.
Mile 19 - This one is for our Make-A-Wish Kids, Enrico and Nick. We got to meet Enrico and Nice at our Make-A-Wish fundraiser last year (Wheels Wings and Wishes.) Hoping to see them again at this year's event which you can find here:
https://www.facebook.com/Wheels-Wings-Wishes-1495548790746174/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
https://www.facebook.com/Wheels-Wings-Wishes-1495548790746174/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Mile 21 - Mike Alberter. Mike, I loved working for/with you, Carmella, and Dave at Jekyl. I love that place and although I'm pretty much retired as a DJ, I still love that place. We had a lot of fun there, and you were the best boss I ever had in a bar/club that I DJed in. The bar crawls for the Lymphoma/Leukemia Society are all in your honor and your hard fought battle, one that you had won. Thanks for always being a great boss, a great friend, and doing great things. This mile is for you Mike. #teammike
Mile 22 - Bernie Augier. Bernie....just keep doing what you are doing. I can say nothing more except I'm proud to be your friend. You get this mile.
Mile 23 - My buddy Mike Lewis' girlfriend Michelle Conklin. We have yet to meet, but one day we will. Keep on fighting. And for mile 23, I'll keep on running.
Mile 24 - Aaron Plunkett. Aaron was one of my best friends growing up. He was sidelined a few years back from an injury but wanted to get back into running. Unfortunately, training did not go well for Aaron as thta old injury resurfaced. I'm grateful that he was willing to take this journey with me, and sad that he can't any longer. Just know this: I'll cross that finish line for you; I'll cross that finish line for both of us.
Mile 25 - My friend Lisa Richetti. You fought your battle and you won. It's always an inspiration to see you stronger than ever. #cancerfree
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| The last year we did the CFC - Lisa front and center. |
Wait....
I thought a marathon was 26.2 miles? It is. So, I guess I have another dedication. That last .2 miles, well, it's for you Pittsburgh. The home of the black and gold. The home of one of the most storied franchises in the NFL. The home of one of the oldest teams in Baseball. The home of Mario Lemieux and his Pittsburgh Penguins. Your home. My home. Pittsburgh. It's the greatest city on the planet. #truth
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| Coach Suzanne's Half and Full Marathon runners getting ready to tackle their 10 and 20 mile runs. |
Before I sign off from this very long post, I wanted to take the time out to thank everyone at Steel City Road Runners, especially the coaches. Your guidance and help has gotten me to where I needed to be to tackle this marathon. Your training and dedication to all of us first timers was something I learned from, and it has made me a stronger runner. And, what would training be without perfect strangers on the long runs helping each other to keep each other going? That's the way it should be: people always helping other people to achieve great things. Special shout out to Coach Kim for Track Tuesdays, Coach Besty for my 18 and 22 mile runs, and Coach Suzanne for my first 20 mile run and everything else she has taught me. And special shout out to all of Coach Suzanne's runners. We didn't just do this together. We are doing this together. I'll see you all at the finish line.
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| 10 min. pace group at the first water stop on the last long run day. |
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| Chad Jurica and I at the True Runner water stop. |
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| 20 miles in the books! |
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| Those of us that opted for the option 2 miles with Coach Betsy. 22 miles and time to taper until the marathon. |
Wow....this one was long. I hope you all stuck around until the end.
So, until next time, keep on running.
Sinceriously,
Chuck Hull.....The Running Jedi
#runpgh #gameonpgh #26miles26dedications
There is still time to donate for those that would like to do so. You can do that by clicking this link:
https://www.crowdrise.com/LemieuxPittsburgh2016/fundraiser/chuckhull
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