Andy Update

You might remember my post here about my little brother, Andy. The two time ironman. I wrote that he was training for a marathon. Well, his marathon was this past Sunday and he did great! He ran 26.2 miles in 3:14:56. That was 43 minutes faster than his personal best! Holy Cow! If he were 9 months older it would have qualified him for the Boston Marathon.

I texted him back that I was so proud of him. He texted back "Thanks. I can't walk now though."

I hope he's feeling better now but to be honest that makes me feel a little better.

You know at 5K races (that I've seen before) you see those people who run the course before to warm up and then run it again after the race to cool off- that annoys me. I thought Andy might be one of those, but on a marathon level. You know - "Let me run another 26 miles to cool off. "

I'm so proud of him and can't even imagine being able to that.

The website for the Disney Princes Half Marathon states that you half to keep a 16 minute/mile pace. If that is what I do it in, it will take me 30 minutes longer to finish a half marathon than it did for Andy to finish a whole marathon.

Brothers!

Little Brother

This is my little brother, Andy.

I know he looks all tough now but I could totally beat him in a kick fight when he was 9.

This picture was taken about 6 years ago during his first Ironman. You heard that correct-his FIRST Ironman. That means he has done more than one. I haven't yet figure out why he is smiling in this picture. He is either just starting or just finishing a marathon. Yes, that's right. A full marathon - 26.2 miles. After swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles. It's a little obnoxious.

He has been very supportive of my "little" endeavor. The other day when I wrote about my leg hurting I got an email almost as soon as I posted that simply said. "What's wrong with your leg?" He gave me lots of really good advice on how to care for my hurting leg and I really thought that was so sweet. Then he threw in this little zinger, "If it makes you feel better I had to walk a good bit on my 19 mile run the other day." Nice.

One time he was home visiting and he called me from my mother's house and asked if this was a good time for him to run over and say hello. So he literally ran over to say hello. As in he used his legs-not a car- and ran over to my house. Brothers.

He's running a marathon in a couple of weeks. I'm really amazed by him. I feel the need to share with everyone all my trials and tribulations of running a few miles and he quietly runs marathons and Ironmans.

He also brought me a little gift when I saw him this weekend:

At first I was offended because I thought he was calling me fat, but I've been assured that all serious runners use this so I think that was very sweet.

I'll never be as "fit" as he is or as serious about this as he is. It's just not in me. But I am very proud of my little brother. (And he's not really obnoxious-I actually might be the obnoxious one.)

But I'm pretty sure I can still take him in a kick fight!