The First Step

Most people who know me know that I am a really big fan of Gretchen Rubin's for so many reasons. As her work pushes my thinking and sense of self-awareness, it's given me a whole new reason to appreciate her. Gretchen's (yes, I refer to her by her first name) most recent book, Better Than Before, is about habit forming and how knowing yourself can lead to more effective habit building and ultimately, a happier life. 

So with her voice in the back of my mind (literally; she has an awesome podcast too), I tried to set myself up for success after an amazing, but hectic, summer. Rather than wait to get settled in to my new job before "finding" the time to run, I knew it was important to jump right in. If I waited for things to slow down, I'd be waiting forever. Instead of finding the time, I had to make it, so as soon as I started my new job in August, I made sure to schedule runs as well. More so than I have in a long time, I scheduled my runs routinely, which has been helpful. Saturday morning, Tuesday morning, and Thursday afternoon have been my times to run, and knowing that schedule cuts out the decision making, because it's become part of my routine. I know this won't be forever, especially as I start to ramp up my training for Hope Express, but if the goal was to get back into running, it feels good to say I've accomplished that.

The same holds true for getting back in to writing on my blog. I can't wait until I have the perfect idea or until I have a larger block of time. Knowing myself, taking the first step on a project or in the way of building a habit goes a really long way for me. Oftentimes, I just need to begin.

And so now, I've begun! I've got a pretty solid foundation under my belt; one that, on top of getting me back out there, has served me during this major life transition. And that's something worth celebrating, because part of knowing myself is finally accepting that I'm a runner. 

here we go - Hope Express 2016!

It’s so exciting to be back on the East Coast and to able to enjoy everything that comes with it: proximity to family and friends, cheesesteaks at a moment’s notice, and the opportunity to participate in an event that means so much to me – Hope Express! In honor of the event’s tenth anniversary of raising hope and awareness for pediatric cancer, Hope Express will be tackling even more miles with the goal of raising even more money for The Four Diamonds Fund. The Hope Express will have FIVE teams setting out to tackle the miles between Hershey and Penn State’s THON. This year I’m challenging myself to be a part of the Hope Express’s Blood and Guts Team. This back-to-basics team is a nod to the event’s origins; its runners will organize all the logistics of the run and set out on a brand new route.

The Four Diamonds Fund provides both financial and medical support to its families during their battle with cancer. Families’ involvement in THON provides them with a renewed sense of hope, and a reminder to not give up, no matter how hard times may get. Hank and Connie Angus, parents of Gabe, a Four Diamonds child, began Hope Express in 2007 as a way to bridge the gap between THON and the children on the 7th floor at Hershey Medical Center. Families whose children are too sick to attend THON weekend are now able to have some of the magic brought to them, and their words and letters are given to the Hope Express runners to carry on their backs during the 24-hour relay all the way to Penn State.

As a Hope Express runner, I will run multiple legs of the relay, tackling grueling hills through whatever unpredictable weather February may bring. Running is not something that comes easily to me, but it is an honor to bring hope to those who have no choice but to stand tall in their fight against cancer.

The Hope Express has raised over $500,000 to date for the Four Diamonds Fund, bringing us that much closer to conquering childhood cancer. Please consider supporting me this year as part of Hope Express in honor and support of the Four Diamonds families. Every donation, regardless of the amount, brings us one step closer to finding a cure. Personally, I have set a goal to raise $1,800, and I can only achieve it with your support. Donations can be easily made online at http://www.give2theexpress.org/blood-guts-team/darian-mckenzie/. If you prefer, however, you may opt to mail a check, payable to “Hope Express,” directly to me; just let me know if you need my address. While the run is not until February, please consider donating by November 30 if you are able to do so.

It’s with your help that I have been able to contribute thousands of dollars over the past several years to support cancer research and those affected by this disease. I am so grateful for all of your love and support, which inspires me to give to this incredible cause. As always, please feel free to follow my journey by visiting my blog (www.starsinthesky24.blogspot.com), where I will write about running and my experiences training for the big event.

For the Kids,

Darian