WHY Dad?!?!

Last night Tanner asked Jerel if he could go running with him in the mornings. Jerel replied that he probably couldn't because he goes a lot of miles each day and, in fact, just on Saturday he ran like 12 miles or something. (Many of you have probably seen him training/running.)Tanner asked why he was running so much. Jerel responded, "Don't you remember? I'm training to run in the St. George marathon in October. It's a race that's 26.2 miles long and so I have to practise running longer and longer distances." Trevor, my six year old, then asked, "WHY Dad???!!!" (Imagine him using a total "What are you. . . crazy or something?" voice.) It was so funny. Jerel then paused for a minute and then tried to explain the origin of the marathon race. Some story about how a guy named Marathon who had to run from Rome to some place (maybe the city was named Marathon) to warn them about a battle coming up. (Maybe I should look up the story again. lol) He had to run 26.2 miles to the next city and when he got there he died. Then one of the kids asked, "So WHY are you running in this race? The race that some guy died in?" I'm thinkin' "Good question!" Jerel then tried to explain about how he just wants to be able to work towards something and accomplish it. I think that's awesome, and anyone who runs a marathon is amazing to me. But I have to admit "Why?"