On October 10, 2010, I ran the Chicago Marathon, one of the major marathons in the world. It has been inspiring many through 10-10-10 advertisement. To me, Chicago is my last major marathon in US after Boston and New York in 2009. On Saturday, I flew to Chicago and found myself in the starting line on the Sunday early morning. The crowds thunderingly cheered at 7:30am as the runners ran forward to the city. I have never been to Chicago that has many gourmet restaurants, historical places and political power-Mr. Obama. Somehow, Chicago becomes Japan the country that I have never been although I have traveled almost 30 countries around the world. It is very close and yet heart feels distance.

Running through the city with big spectators is always fun. I immersed myself to the spirit of human waves, enjoying different faces of Chicago. Since I was in the corral A, I ran out with fast runners and made my first mile under 7 minutes. I was happy to have a strong start. I kept a under-7-minute pace and passed the half (13.1 miles) in the time of 1:30:08. If I had kept the pace, I would have made sub-three that has been my ultimate goal to achieve. A pacemaker holding a 3:00 picket was running with me. I felt good and was able to keep the pace until 21 miles where I felt exhaustion and heat. The temperature went up quickly and the sun started blazing. I significantly slowed down after 21 miles, feeling pain on my left foot. Nevertheless, I had to keep going, saying to me, "Use your arms; breathe, breathe!" It is the fundamental that made me not to be lost along the way. Knowing that I could or needed to stop at any point was a scary thought, so my baby step-one step at a time-with using arms and taking breath was critical.

I knew that I could break my personal record (3:07:35) in Boston 2009 if I stayed on. It was a long five miles in which I practiced the basic over and over. I prayed and listened to the song, pushing myself one step by one step. Running closer to the finish line, I saw thousand spectators disappeared and I ran in a quiet slow motion. I passed the line and made the sign of the cross. The race was over: 3:05:26. The baby step with the fundamental won. It was a happy moment to see the time that I have spent two years to reduce only two minutes. But it was worth.

In the city of fever, I feel the spirit of runners and spectators with the heat. At the same time, my fever for the greater race grows ever more.

In the raining, I ran 19 miles in the Towpath that took two hour and twenty five minutes. It is the end of the training for the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 10. From now on, I will taper and wait for the race.

It is joy to run this major marathon with 45,000 runners. Although I am not familiar with the city, it will be great to run through skyscrapers cheered by big spectators. I have heard that the course is flat and enjoyable. The last two months, I have geared up to train for the Chicago. Although I was not able to run in Africa and the preparation time is short, my expectation is high. I want to break a 3-hour barrier that distinguishes between professional and amateur runners. The Chicago Marathon will be my 7th full race.

I keep telling, "My heart is ready; my heart is ready."

Footprints for Fatima is 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk to support John Carroll University's Fatima Food Drive. It will take place on Saturday, September 25, 2010 in the homecoming weekend. The food drive benefits 100 families connected with the Fatima Family Center in Cleveland's Hough Neighborhood. Families receive food baskets for the entire week of Thanksgiving including a turkey and fixings for their family. 
Your participation is invaluable for this noble cause.

And one more! 
If anyone passes the priest i.e., finishing the race earlier than the priest, there will be a special prize. 
I am sure that anybody who has more guts will pass the priest. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Fr. H.Paul Kim

+ The glory of God is the Living Person

It is a beautiful day. Every Living Person seems excited as well as nervous when they gather before the cathedral. We pray and take a group picture. It is a time to put ourselves into action after a four-month training. To me, it is my 7^th marathon and 5^th Cleveland Marathon.

For this race, the half and full marathons were sold out which means it is really crowded. When the race starts at 7am, I realize that I am not able to move forward. The mob carries me over two miles, which takes away at least three minutes from me. Let’s do math. My goal to break three hours for a full marathon needs under the pace of 7 minutes per mile. Since I lose three to four minutes at the beginning that is about 240 seconds, I have to recover more than 10 seconds per mile throughout the rest of the race, which means I have to run under 6:50 minutes per mile. As I pass the half marathon point (13.1 mile), my clock time says 1:34:35.

To be worse, the wind blows against the runners although the lakeshore course is strategically placed the miles between 13 and 19, in which the runners still have energy to run against the wind. But I wish the wind help me. When I get to the 21-mile point, St. Clare Avenue stretches long before me. I really enjoy running those two and half miles, pushing me to speed up. However, the East 40^th street and Euclid seem too long after St. Clare. From the experiences of running the Boston and New York Marathons last year, I expect more cheers from spectators, which substantially helps runners who usually rely on mental strength after 21 miles. However, the Clevelanders look not much motivated.

Anyway, running a marathon is like praying because although a person prays alone, and yet he/she is connected to the spirit of others. So I recall my prayer partners, Sr. Paul and Jesus. The last two miles are hard enough to deepen my prayer. When I get into the Lakeside, I see the finish line. The long journey is about to end. I push myself harder. Crossing the finish line, I make a sign of cross. It is 3:07:58.

Since the Boston, it is my third three-hour-and-seven-minute record. This time seems an unbreakable barrier that I keep trying to jump over. But I feel good regardless of my time. I know that I have to keep going because I have a commitment to say the Sunday school mass at 11:30am at St. Andrew Kim.

What a great day for a runner to be a man for others!

Click here to see more pictures of the Living Person!