I was born on November 11, 1955. Do the math. I just turned 70. On December 6, 2025, less than one month after my 70th birthday, I ran and completed the St. Jude Memphis Marathon. This was the first marathon that I ever ran. For those who might not know, a marathon is a long-distance running race measuring exactly 26.2 miles. Yes, you heard that right: 26.2 miles. 

To everyone involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital who cares for children with cancer and shows compassion to their families, thank you for everything you do—including your vision, preparation, and execution of this huge event for thousands of people. 

I never saw myself as competing against others in this marathon. If I were competing, it would be against myself and my personal desire: I want to run a marathon.  

When I was a high school athlete, I was a sprinter, not a long-distance runner. I never liked running long distances. But over forty years ago, I began running. Back then, three miles would have been my big goal. Even then, my goal was not speed, but endurance. Twenty years ago, I started running three to five miles a day, and periodically, I would run seven miles. Most likely, I have run 5 days a week for all these years. Then, over the past five years, beginning in the pandemic, I began lengthening these runs on many days. It was then that I started thinking: “One day, I may run a marathon.” 

In 2024, I began asking God to help me be healthy enough to run a marathon. In 2025, I started praying, “Lord, this year, help me to run a marathon.” Then, it became more specific and essential to me, and I began praying, “Lord, I want to run this marathon for Your honor as a testimony of Your power through me all the way through the finish line of 26.2 miles. Please Lord, do this miracle through me, and may people come to Jesus because of it. For Your Kingdom and to God’s glory, I pray that this miracle be done! I stand upon these words: “For nothing is impossible with God!” Luke 1:37