RUN CATO RUN!

Becky Hale, Mark & Jennifer Davis
Little Rock Marathon

This spring and summer my husband has become obsessed...with running.  They say once you start, it has an addictive quality...I'm starting to believe it.  One thing on Mark's "bucket list" was to run a marathon so he signed up for the Little Rock Marathon and started training.  Just six months out from back surgery Mark decided he would walk the half marathon his first time out.  GOAL - to finish.  Mark walked with two co-workers, Jennifer Davis & Becky Hale, and once he crossed the finish line, there was no looking back.  He immediately signed up for the Soaring Wings Half Marathon in Conway in October. 

Fayetteville Hogeye Half Marathon

In researching other marathons Mark came across the Hogeye Half Marathon in Fayetteville in April.  GOAL - to run the 13.1.  During the month following his first marathon in which he walked, .Mark started running every day.  The Hogeye is a more strenuous run that includes lots of hills, indicative of the Northwest Arkansas terrain.  My friend, Davey Bryan, who is an avid runner came across the finish line before Mark and he remarked that the route was brutal.  So I started to worry if Mark would be able to run the entire route or at the very least finish.  He figured it would take him about 2.5 hours to finish going into the race.  After talking with Davey I figured it would take him much longer than anticipated and just kind of settled back to wait.  After 2 hours and 39 minutes Mark crossed the finish line and I almost missed it!  I wasn't expecting him so soon.  I was SO proud of him!

Over the summer Mark kept training by running a 5K most every day and added trips to climb up Pinnacle Mountain several times a week to improve his balance and strengthen his legs.

East End Sizzler 5K

In August Mark ran the East End Sizzler 5K.  GOAL - to beat his fastest time yet, 30 minutes.  Saturday morning was HOT and HUMID, the kind where you sweat just by breathing!  But Mark had a good run and crossed the finish line at 29:29!

So far, so good.  3 Goals SET & 3Goals MET! 

If you're interested in cheering Mark on, here is his tentative schedule through the  end of the year.

October 23 - Soaring Wings Half Marathon (Conway)
November 14 - San Antonio Rock N Roll Marathon
December 4 - Memphis St Jude Marathon
December 12 - Fayetteville Half Marathon

I leave you with this quote I found that pretty much sums up Mark's attitude toward running.

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare."
-Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner