by Ryan McKeen
I want you.
The big legal issues that I spend a lot time thinking and reading about are the image of the legal profession, professionalism in the bar, and happiness in the legal profession. I often think about these issues while I run. I think a lot more on my runs now that I’ve ditched my MP3 player. It seems bird chirps are easier on the brain than Eminem.
Last week I started a training program to break 2 hours in the upcoming Hartford Half Marathon. If I can break 2 hours this fall, I will have shaved 18 minutes off my time in a year. The program weaves 1 fast day and 1 long day with several maintenance runs each week (these are easy 4 to 6 mile runs at a slow pace).
Like the half marathon training program, I think of weaving to parts of my life together: law and running.
Last year, I changed my life by starting to run. I used to hate running. Then I realized I was out of shape and decided to do a couch to 5k program. Once I finished it, I thought how about a half? It seemed like an insurmountable distance. I trained and I did it. Then I thought if I’m ever going to run a marathon, the time is now. So I signed up for the Vermont City Marathon on November 1, 2009 and ran it on May 30, 2010. I became an accidental marathoner.
A funny thing happened as I went from couch to marathon – I found myself enjoying the practice of law more. I had more energy and a better grasp on dealing with adversity. For me, figuring out how I was going to get through a 20 mile run made motion practice more bearable.
So here’s my idea: I want you to run the 2011 Hartford Marathon with me. That’s right, you. Even if you’ve never run.
Countless characters are typed on whether or not bar association’s are useful (they are), on the divide between lawyers at different sized firms, on the lack of in person communication between members of the bar.
My idea is to bring lawyers together to train for a marathon. Lots of lawyers run. Some lawyers are good runners. Lots of lawyers don’t run. Some lawyers have what Adrian Baron refers to as a “barrister’s belly”. I want you all.
The idea is to get a training group together and get a coach or coaches. Generally marathon programs are about 18 weeks long. The shortest amount of time one can go from couch to marathon is generally about a year. Most marathon programs want you to start with a base of about 15 to 20 miles a week and being capable of running 5 miles at one time. If you don’t run, you’ve got plenty of time before you line up for the 2011 Hartford Marathon.
On improving the image of the profession, I say we raise money for the Hartford County Bar Foundation.
Before I start planning details, I need to gauge interest. Ideally, I’d like to have a meeting this fall with those who are interested. At the meeting, I could arrange for a coach to attend and start talking to new runners about what it’s going to take for them to start building to a marathon. Over the winter and into the early spring we could follow and encourage each other virtually on the Daily Mile. Then next June we start meeting for weekly long runs in West Hartford. We could arrange for support and trainers.
Please contact me if you are interested in this. If you’ve never done it before, you’ll never forget running a marathon. Crossing the finish line for the first time will be one of the great moments in your life, especially if like me, you never thought you were capable of reaching such a goal.
email me at rmckeen at lttnlaw.com
Here’s a little inspiration for you: