I am not a runner.
But I was! When I was a teenager. And in two days, I will be again. At the proud age of 46. So I will be lacing up like it’s 1995!
I plan to start running 4 – 5 times a week. I will document my trials, tribulations, and progress over time. I am curious to see: What happens when a 46-year-old man starts running regularly for the first time in 30 years? What starts to hurt? What starts to feel better? Who will heckle me? Who will cheer me on? And in the end, what will seem like a challenge and what will seem easier? I admit that the idea of running 3 miles consecutively currently feels like a challenge. How cool if that felt easy for me in 30 weeks?
I’m curious enough about these questions to put myself out there and invite you to chart my progress from the ease of your computer screen.
I’ll start with small distances and qualifications like, “I may not run the whole way.” Over time, I’ll ramp up. By the end of this experiment in October, I plan to have averaged 11 miles a week over 30 weeks for a total of 330 miles between April 1st – October 31st. And! I plan to register for a 5k race that will take place at the end of October.
Along the way, we’re going to have some fun. You’ll notice a distinctly 90s theme. I feel quite at home here! I will also populate my campaign and even miles with things I liked in the 90s… bands, styles, fads, etc. For example: In preparation for the launch of this campaign, I bought some Dinosaur Jr. socks!
I want to feature the music I was listening to the last time I ran on a regular basis. As we go along and a I document my progress with weekly posts, I will call this, “What’s In the Walkman”. You know if you know!
Details
This campaign is three things at once:
1. A fundraiser for an essential disaster relief program in our country. Support here!
I invite friends of mine and the ToolBank to support my journey from now – October. If you were to “sponsor” me at 30 cents a mile and I run the whole 330 (which I will) … that’s just $14.14 a month starting in April! $99 total. If you join in May, it’s just $16.50 a month. I think it’s worth it at that price just to watch me sweat! Let alone the fact that your support goes to support ToolBank Disaster Services.
Every dollar helps us serve the server as we respond to all manner of natural disaster across the country. Recent examples include supporting response organizations during and after the LA Wildfires, flood relief in Central Texas, and long-term recovery support in the Hurricane Helene corridor. When the ToolBank deploys to serve the servers, we pay 100% of the transportation and logistical costs as well as staffing and tool support. Supporters like you are the wind at our backs as we do so!
2. A personal fitness challenge.
I am curious to see if I can even come close to the form I had when I was a teenager, when I ran both track and cross country, logging dozens of miles a week. Can 46-year-old Noah even flirt with his personal bests from 1995? Only one way to find out! In this endeavor, I will have no shame. I will share all my struggles and successes.
Those personal bests from the 90s were pretty good for a skinny little country kid in Baltimore, Ohio. You read that right: Baltimore, OHIO. My hometown and proud home of the Liberty Union Lions. As a Lion, I set the 8th grade mile record, clocking in at 4:54. As a Freshman the next year, my best 5k time was around 17:30. I can’t recall exactly! I’d be incredibly happy to get my mile into the 6-minute range and my 5k in the low 20s. We’ll see what happens!
That’s me on the left with my little brother, Jake on the right. And a buddy who doesn’t know I’m doing this. Go Lions!
3. A telling project focused on ToolBank Disaster Services over the last 12 years.
Over the 30-week campaign, I will feature 30 distinct disaster deployments. Our very first mobile disaster response trailer logged its first service mile in 2014. Over more than 100 deployments, it brought essential tools and equipment to diverse communities across the US. I will feature 30 distinct deployments as a telling project in honor of the retirement of this trailer in December 2025.
Notes
I like being 46! I am not trying to become a teenager again or putting extra emphasis on “staying young”. I’m just challenging myself to run 4 – 5 times a week like I did when I was younger.
I am not expressly trying to lose weight, though I might do so incidentally. And I wouldn’t mind losing my beer belly if it indicates I am generally more active and healthier. That said, this is not a weight loss journey.
