Day Two - Albany

First, I apologize for the delay in posting, however, I have been unable to get an internet connection.  Well, here is Day 2.

After arriving exhausted and cold at the hotel, we got about 3 hours sleep before we had "wheels turning". As we loaded the bus, each of us carrying our caffeine of choice... coffee, energy drinks, five hour energy or a pillow we all remembered why we were running and perked up a bit.

We made it to Albany a short ride later.  When we arrived, there were about 30 active duty Marines waiting for us and several veterans.  Needless to say, it was an impressive sight.  After meeting the Marines and the veterans, we formed up and began our formation run into Albany.  With ten police escorts, many veteran volunteer escorts, our Eagle Rock Budweiser Bus, the Marines bus, and 50 runners we were a sight to be seen!  People came running out of offices, stopping their cars, busses pulling over to cheer for us as we ran our 3.5 miles to the veterans park while doing cadences.  Talk about hard to keep a dry eye.  These men and women were taking time out of their day to support our military.  How wonderful is it to live in a country that people will come out and give their support to their men and women who guard the front, who keep us all safe.

After a touching ceremony at the veterans park we then loaded up to meet the "Night" team who was finishing around noon, so needless to say we had to book it to catch them.  By then we were in hilly territory.  When it was my turn to run, I ran with Master Sargeant Chris Lyons (Army Ranger) and Laird Canby (Eagle Rocks).  We got a truly uphill section of road.  Master Sargeant kept us going as we did cadences uphill.  "One hill - Nothing to It"  "Two Hills - Nothing to it"  "How Strong - Army Strong".  Before we knew it we had completed our mileage (and we later found out that over 90 percent of our section had been uphill).  Again, when you are running and it is dark and cold and quite frankly not fun, we just remembered those we were running for.  Those who couldn't run.  Those who gave their last full measure so that we can live the life we choose.  Those to whom dedication, honor and courage are not simply words, they are a code of life.  God Bless America.

JCP