B-Bro Fort-2-Fort 2-Island Hop 'n Ride

My brothers were both much faster runners than me. I leaned more to the endurance side, while they would have been superb 200/400m men given their quickness. Older David's inclination was for football and was a running back in high school; younger brother Mark took on our dad's love for baseball. David has left us for now, but Mark is still running rampant though not specifically running due to a knee condition.

Brothers Mark (left), me, David (right)

Mark does bike, kayak, and has coached baseball while his sons inherited baseball fever. I have to say both boys could have been - and still could be - outstanding runners if they found a love for it. I have run races with the boys when they were younger and know they have the talent to be at least national class runners.

Back when ABC had shown some interest in filming Ashley Kurpiel's story and our fund raising efforts for the IFOPA, I had been thinking about venues for the show had we not been able to secure a race for the event. Chad Haffa saved us from not having a race, but I had working on some other ideas. The one event I felt I could personally pull off would be a run from Sullivan's Island to James Island, which would go through Charleston around White Point Gardens. I would ask anyone who wanted to run with me to just join in, maybe we would run at night to make it a little more special.

As it turned out this idea wasn't needed, but the thought stayed with me. Since I hope to be doing 5 or 6 20+ milers during my Boston marathon training, I thought this would still be a great course to run. Then lightning struck my pea brain...I considered having my brother ride his bike along with me, getting him moving a little more vigorously than usual and having some company and conversation along the way. Brilliant!

Thus the B-Bro (Blalock Brothers) Fort-2-Fort (Fort Moultrie to Fort Johnson Road) 2-Island (Sullivan's Island to James Island) Hop (Me) 'n Ride (Mark) was born. Genius!

The course will be close to this one:

The run will be around 20 miles. No date has been set yet, but likely in January 2012. I'll have to see how the training is going and preferably some clear weather for Mark. Or not, I may want him to enjoy all nature has to offer to the long distance runner.

I'll start the rain dance now.