Morris' Campaign for the Alzheimer's Association

I read this quote the other day, and it struck a chord with me, "Find something that someone you loved also loved and try it out."   For 2019, I have signed up to run the Irving Marathon on April 27th.  My Grandad, Garry Elkins, is someone I have always admired since I was a little boy. He ran the first Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Alabama and ran that same race every year for 35 consecutive years.  He also completed a 50-mile event in Chicago and qualified and ran the Boston Marathon three times.  My Grandad has run a total of 43 marathons in his life with a personal best of 2 hours and 38 minutes (almost faster than the Half Marathon my Dad and I ran last year).  His passion for running started in his late twenties when he quit cigarettes cold turkey and needed an activity to replace the addiction: Running.

My Grandad loved the way running made him feel in addition to the people he met along the way and the adventures it brought to his life.  Not only was my Grandad someone I admired for his athletic ability but also as a man who lived what he preached.  Going into town with my Grandad was always an adventure, he literally knew everyone and everyone knew him.  What always caught my attention was how intentional he was with those he would interact with.  He always remembered people’s names, treated everyone with respect, and made them feel cared about in the world.  When he wasn't running, my Grandad spent his free time teaching Sunday school, raking the leaves of his neighbors when they were too ill to do it themselves, and playing with my sister and me in basketball, chess, baseball, and any other activity we wanted to do. 
 
Although my Grandad is still physically fit, his daily running adventures stopped this past year due to his recent diagnosis. I will be running this race in my Grandad’s honor and will be asking for contributions to help continue the fight against Alzheimer's.  
 
For each person that donates more than $10, I will commit to listening to any song on Spotify they select while I run those 26.2 miles on April 27th.   Please just comment below on your song  selection and I’ll add it to my playlist.  Any amount and all donations are appreciated.

Thank you for reading this and for the support - I am excited to challenge myself, raise awareness for a disease that impacts more than 5.7 million Americans, and most importantly, to do something greater than myself for someone I admire. MSH.