I had been planning on writing about Terry Fox for several weeks and last night during our R101/R201 celebration for them running 2 and 4 miles respectively I was talking about doing just that when one of the girls (ladies) I was talking to who is herself a 'delayed onset adult athlete' said excitedly, "I know all about him"...and she did. That brief bit of 'magic' got me off my duff for part of this blog....I became familiar with Terry Fox when Micki and I went to Vancouver with Team In Training (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) to run the Vancouver Marathon. 2 words... DO IT! We were there with Al and Kenny and a few others; in fact later one participants daughter did R101 and I later coached her in Cross Country...but enough about me...Terry Fox was a young athletic Canadian who at 18 was found to have cancer. They had to amputate his leg. Rather than wallow in self pity he decided (and it is a decision) to turn his personal tragedy in triumph. He wanted to raise money and awareness - his goal was 1 dollar for each Canadian, $24 million...so began his Marathon of Hope. We've all heard of Dean Karnazes doing 50 marathons in 50 Days (didn't a guy from Mississippi do it before Dean? To raise awareness of Katrina's damage in Ms.? Sam Johnson? I should know that)....anyway, this was back in 1980...with ONE LEG, he decided to run across Canada. So he dipped his shoe in the Atlantic in New Brunswick and set off. Initially he drew little attention and much skepticism, but slowly Canada took notice. In the beginning it was just Terry, a few friends and a van. No traveling masseuse, no dietitian...just a kid really, with one leg trying to cure cancer. Today Terry Fox is a national hero, his foundation has raised hundreds of millions of dollars and in 1999 he was named Canada's greatest Sports Hero. There are numerous schools, roads, highways, and even a mountain named after him. He was honored with a postage stamp, but sadly he saw none of it. His cancer spread during the run and he was forced to abandon his quest , but only after running 3,339 miles in 143 days. That's an average if over 23 miles a day, just shy of a marathon a day on 1 leg. He died shortly thereafter but his desire and effort left a legacy that is still growing today. He is remembered annually with the Terry Fox Run that is the world's largest one day fundraiser for cancer research. Let that sink in...WORLD'S largest....Terry Fox, the greatest runner no one in the States has ever heard of and one of the greatest people... That was kind of a magic/happy moment and compounded by remembering the fun we had in Vancouver. Then today before I went ion to see Attila the Hunney a song came on country radio...yeah, my Sirius receiver died (not so magic moment) and my wife put it on country...that'll inspire me to get my duff to get it fixed. BUT, had the circumstances not allowed...I heard a re-make of one of my favorite all time songs that I had completely forgotten about (I know, favorite, but forgotten..) by Sonia Dada...hey, I didn't name the band. So off to I Tunes I go and poof another Magic Moment in my day. Plus getting some errands accomplished and just small stuff...but good stuff. If I can't have a great run, I can dream of them while I do other stuff...Tuesday is the day with the Dr...fingers crossed. I would say I'd bribe him with a 50 to let me run, but he probably lights his cigars with 50's.....Here's hoping you have some 'magic moments' in your days this weekend....and forever more.