Jake’s Race: Mind over Body, Dallas, TX (2026)

10/19/2026

“We do not admire the man of timid peace. We admire the man who embodies victorious effort; the man who never wrongs his neighbor, who is prompt to help a friend, but who has those virile qualities necessary to win in the stern strife of actual life. It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. In this life we get nothing save by effort. Freedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been stored up effort in the past.” - Theodore Roosevelt, 1899
—
Put another way: The lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul.

Thanks for having me, Detroit. I had a blast. Canada was very nice too.

3:58:03. I achieved my sub-4 goal.

10/18/2026

It’s currently 36°. Wind is 6 mph with 14 mph gusts. Sunrise is at. 7:45 A.M. EST. I am wearing shorts. The race starts at 7:00 A.M. I am ready to achieve greatness!

10/13/2026

This probably explains my eccentric personality better than words could ever dare convey...

10/04/2026

This is the site of Carrus Rehabilitation Hospital in Sherman, TX, on the evening of October 3rd, 2026. They offer physical, speech, and occupational therapy, along with additional treatments. It is also the site of the Carrus Specialty Hospital for Complex Illnesses. That hospital provides long-term acute care for individuals with multiple illnesses.

I have never been to these facilities (at least inpatient), but I think of them a lot. I’ve known many geriatrics who were treated within those red-brick walls. I also see many patients amidst the numerous windows when I frequently pass by the facility. I’ve also known of a few individuals who never made it out. I think of that somber fact frequently when I pass by.

In a sense, I pass by it most evenings on purpose. It’s along the route of a short 8-mile bike ride that I frequent when I want to enjoy the outdoors. It also borders the northernmost road I prefer to run along, lest I reach the highway that runs along the hospital’s front.

It also sits at the bottom of a tall hill. And when I run or bike along the road, I always try to push myself to go all out when passing by the hospital.

To gloat? Anything but—it’s so I can stay out of that hospital! And there are a few initiatives I train for to achieve that goal.

Firstly is a problem that presently affects me: bone density and bone loss. Although bone loss diminishes at an average of 1% per year after age 40, my bones were described at age 19 as essentially dead and likely requiring replacement within a decade. But running is a well-proven treatment to increase bone mass of all ages. Thus I run.

Secondly is V02 max. This measure of cardiorespiratory fitness measures oxygen volume used while exercising. And it is the single most accurate predictor of all-cause mortality and life expectancy. High V02 max is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke. And it is trained when your heart rate is elevated during high-intensity exercise… such as running and cycling. Thus I run… and cycle.

Combine these two and that is reason enough to run past this facility a few times a week; but that is not all.

“Minimally conscious state” is a term used to describe an individual in slightly better condition than a “vegetative state”. The scary part of those terms is that I know what both of those states feel like. And I know the despair of life that comes with them too. And I know because I experienced them firsthand on March 13, 2019.

Conversely, I know what it is like to put in the years of work for rehabilitation. And I now know what it is like to be moving freely whilst running down the road in the aforementioned rehabilitated body. So I run.

I run to increase bone density. I run to increase V02 max. I run to remind myself of the abilities I regained, and I run in the hopes that maybe a patient will see me outside enjoying life… and maybe they’ll use that as inspiration to get well.

So even though I truly felt lonely and reclusive while trodding in the rain for 13.1 miles at 9:00 tonight—questioning the purpose of the training; maybe someone saw me. Maybe I might live to reach 60. Maybe none of those happen(ed), but instead tonight gets added to the file of “things you do to become a man of character”.

I’m not sure. But I am certain that I have been spared to live a little while longer whilst not inpatient at a rehabilitation hospital. So how dare I not use my functional body to its fullest extent? I have seen what happens when that ability is taken away. And in a sense, it’s one of the greatest fears in my life; having agility taken away.

So with that, all of my running, cycling, and (hopefully soon) swimming is done in remembrance of the healing the Lord granted, and of the many blessings He has bestowed upon me.

So I run by Carrus.

09/26/2026

Financially irresponsible - have you ever wondered why athletes need sponsorships? This is for ONE 20-mile run that I will be doing this weekend.

Send help… or send money! 😂

07/07/2026

Opinion: Running turned into a fad

What is a run club? And why are they popping up faster than a rural Dollar General?

Picture this: a chance encounter with strangers… a date… an opportunity requiring one to show physical superiority… an excuse to eat a plethora of carbs… and I guess a bit of sweat? Are you interested in all of those, simultaneously? Then you need to join your nearest run club! And you don’t need to look far - as mentioned, they’re all over the place. Most only run a few miles and only use it as an excuse for Jessica (there’s always at least one) to grab coffee with the girls. And that’s a perfectly sane thing to do. Some differ, but that’s the most popular type of club I see in my area.

But what about long-distance running? You know, for those who are mentally unstable… like me? I’m the guy who reminds everyone he meets of his marathons run (see what I did there?). I’m not going to drive 15 minutes one way to run for 12 minutes. I need to go far. Especially when I’ve got a marathon to train for.

So why do I write this, having never actually been in a run club? Because chance and a whole helping of memory loss have me on a schedule to run three marathons in four months. And since I’m humble and perfect in every way, it definitely wasn’t my fault. Thus the next most-likely suspect: run clubs. Let me explain:

Starting with the (possibly largest, and) obvious: New York Road Runners, a very large club that requires a paid membership to participate, and also organizes the New York City marathon. The acceptance rate to Harvard is higher than the acceptance rate of the NYC marathon. Which is ironic, considering both of those subsets of people are borderline nuts in their pursuits.

So I entered in the lottery (literally) for the New York marathon. I was not selected. But there are all sorts of opportunities for second and third chances of getting chosen… and none of those I was selected for. My only guess is registrations are being taken up by run clubs? After all, misery loves company. And with the plethora of run clubs, it is not leaving room for normal guys like me who do it not for community, but so they can brag their superiority to their ten social media followers.

So finding marathons to run, I signed up to do Dallas again, as it’s my hometown and original marathon. I also signed up (ten months before the race) for the Austin marathon in February. I did this to secure registration before it too sold out - so at least I would do two runs in the ‘26-‘27 winter.

I wanted to do the Big Sur Marathon in Carmel, California, but that sold out as well… and much like the Acadia Marathon, they both would be quite expensive to travel to and logistically complicated to participate in. And I’m not independently wealthy anymore: running shoes took care of that.

So two marathons. Good enough.

But then Detroit emailed me. Despite registering ten months before that race, it was still sold out and I was placed on a waitlist. Specifically #743 on the waitlist. Thus I gave up and promptly forgot about Detroit… all the way until two weeks ago when I received notice that I would be granted admission for the October marathon.

So four months, three marathons, and two countries (Detroit loops into Windsor a few miles).

Has the room always been spinning? As I’m hyperventilating on the thought of training, the self-doubts of training readiness, and the cost, there is an obvious solution to this madness: drop out of Detroit.

But momma didn’t raise no …uh… ahem… quitter.

So now that you’re caught up with my delusions of athleticism, let’s rewind and ask how exactly I ended up here?

March 5, 2024… but more specifically October 5, 2024. The day a doctor told me to take it easy on my joints by avoiding hard exercise, and the day I started running. I didn’t listen to Doc’s advice. Isn’t selective hearing awesome!

Furthermore, various reporters have featured the start of my marathon journey, thus I’ll not repeat it. What I will say is that I am attempting to reach my full potential. And luckily for me, I know exactly where and when I will meet it: at hip replacement… likely from a shattered femur and/or pelvis. Unfortunate, yes. But out of spite for the US healthcare industrial complex, I’m attempting to get my money’s worth out of my original manufacturer parts.

Which brings me to the actual dilemma of my training: since running is fad-ed and now for the birds, how do I train for a 2027 Ironman while being chronically fatigued for a mere seven months? Because with an Ironman, a marathon is still only 33% of the task. There’s still a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride. So I need to train for all that while not neglecting marathon training.

I’m clueless as to how. I have no idea what I’m doing. But as I proved at being interviewed for my prospective (first) marathon, I rarely let lack of knowledge get in the way of my desire to accomplish goals set before me.

And did I mention money? At around $200 per marathon registration, a couple hundred for plane tickets, and endless shoe purchases, I’m starting to wonder why I didn’t get into the hobby of crocheting instead? And that doesn’t even mention the four-figure Ironman registration. It especially doesn’t help when my boss at work says very unhelpful phrases such as “see you Monday”, instead of “yeah, I’ll totally fund your mediocre athletic journey”.

All of this leads me to wonder if there is a safe level of delusion that still renders you sane, and if so, where is the limit for everyday clinical stupidity? It’s probably a pretty wide margin, but brother, I walk that line hard!

So to recap - run clubs: fad, Jacob: totally sane, running: a rich man’s sport.

Sponsorships now available.

Like, comment, and share. 🧠≠💪

06/24/2026

I cannot wait for 2027!

06/19/2026

“Life doesn’t happen to you anymore.”

Pretty vague declaration, huh? That’s speechwriting 101, folks: get a hook.

“It happens around you… your participation is voluntary.”

Ears perked? Good, now for the point of my writing:

Above is what I would tell a graduating class of high school seniors: “Life must be actively participated in”.

Think about it though. When in school, participation is mandatory. Teachers must be obeyed, parents still mentor, and grades are a clear instruction of your goals to be striving towards. Once you graduate though? Well, if you’re like me and could not or did not pursue higher ed, the deafening noise of crickets seems to abound. What to do then?

That is what I was pondering on as the sixteen-year-old dental assistants were roaming the orthodontist’s office where my teeth were being adjusted earlier today. If they stick to it, they could be guaranteed to have another 10 years of schooling before they could ever think about being in the driver’s seat of a practice like that. But what if they don’t? What if they are just performing their job as a way to make time pass and possibly earn some extra money over the summer?

What if it’s not just them facing that question? I’ve certainly met my fair share of 40-year-old boys, as well as 16-year-old men. Quite the juxtaposition, huh? So what to do?

Well, though I can’t say for certain that I’m not just spinning my wheels, my calendar seems to think I’m a very busy guy. And what do I do (possibly to pass the time)?

I work. Some weeks 40 hours, some weeks 55. I train - more on that in a bit. I drive - mainly to Dallas. Sometimes doctor’s appointments, sometimes business work, sometimes for recreation.

What business work exactly though? Well, I seem to have found myself advising multi-billion dollar landmark Dallas institutions where my opinion can possibly change the trajectories of up to 88,000 people annually. It’s extremely important, as it’s a hospital (actually five of them) to treat cancer. It’s a serving role though. Meeting once a month for 90 minutes, plus additional opportunities for outreach throughout the month. So is it grandiose? Red carpet? High-life with the bigwigs? Absolutely not. It’s also unpaid, so don’t get any ideas. So is it an effective use of my talents and years of lived experiences? I couldn’t think of a better avenue to invest those. Plus, it shakes things up in life.

And shaking things up takes me to my second question: when’s the last time you chased adventure? You’re probably thinking that it’s been too long, correct? How about this though: when’s the last time you held a door for an old lady? When’s the last time you greeted your neighbors? When’s the last time you had a conversation while waiting in line? When’s the last time you prayed?

How often do we neglect those? With any one of those questions, have you ever regretted doing those things? Maybe not perfect, but they’ve got a pretty remarkable success rate of brightening both parties’ lives. Like when the hygienist high-fived me for running an 18+ mile race with two weeks of preparation. Did it cost her anything? But did it make my day? I think you know the answer to that. The difference that one high-five, one “I hear you”, one “I’m sorry you’re going through that”, or one “God, I need you” can make on one person’s day much less their outlook on life is wildly underestimated. For some, it brings their head above water, and for some, it launches them over the moon. Don’t discount it.

So you need to actively participate in life and chase adventure in search of the little things? Got it. Anything else for those who are still reading?

Yeah, don’t let sage wisdom sit in a book. I am currently writing this while in a lifeless three-walled study instead of at a free concert, sweating my face off with thousands of strangers while listening to some country and western swings (sponsored by the city). You see, knowledge doesn’t do much unless accompanied by action. It’s the reason why armchair quarterbacks are wildly underpaid. So how to get the knowledge, to then be applied?

Do.

Make mistakes. Embarrass yourself, then do it again for good measure. Get some scars, rub some dirt in them. Get some calluses. “True Grit”, as Mr. Campbell said. Does it create success and/or guarantee happiness?

No. But you won’t be exposed to more and better experiences living as a recluse. Increase your exposed surface area to better chances, and weirdly: “luck favors the bold”.

So the concert is basically over with, but I’m not. I feel defeated letting my fear of public places get the better of me today. But I’m still going to move forward. First, I’m going to go on a run. Then I’m going to come back to this iPad and write out a purpose statement in hopes of strategizing a hopefully sponsorship. Then I’m also going to read my dictionary-thick triathlete training guide. This is not so I can be called an “IronMan”, not to get an “IronMan” tattoo, and hopefully not for self-pride, but to have crazy stories to tell about the life I endured while on the self-transformation to seek out adventure and live life to the fullest: Mind over body.

04/28/2026

Is this seriously the amount of privilege I’m at? A recap of my last twelve weeks:

I failed. I’m disappointed, slightly angry, slightly relieved, slightly happy. All while I sit dictating to my pocket box words on a screen with a roof over my head. The truth is, I’m not even disappointed in anybody or anything. I do fear though that I let down my younger self. Let me explain.

To start, let’s rewind about twelve weeks ago. I learned of and decided to run the Germanfest 5k. After all, “How hard can it be?”. I had gotten quite close to my end-of-year 2025 goal of running a 5K in 20 minutes or less when I got an (unofficial) 20:55 as my PR on December 22. But I didn’t break it and this gave me a good opportunity to do so. Just one minute detail: I had no idea how to do it… just that I wanted to. Being shy on information, I sought the internet (incredibly smart, I know). By inputting my training details and times, it assured me that it was most definitely possible to achieve my desired goal. It gave me all of the tempos, fartleks, strides, and intervals for my training… with just one problem: like you are presently faced with, I had no clue what any of that meant. It also had me training six out of seven days a week (more on that in a bit). But I had a plan. Did I execute it?

Well, we got a snowstorm. A family member had a freak injury on the ice and I was at the hospital for many days visiting, consoling, and assisting in the planning of their road to recovery. Which brings me to two weeks later, thus about ten weeks ago: I actually started executing. The first week was hell. Borderline self-torture. Only nine more left. Second and third weeks were slightly shaky but hey, I didn’t die. I did though slow down. That found me proverbially hitting the e-stop when running a subjectively normal pace found me 2:00/mi slower than the pace I had even run the marathon at. It also found me hallucinogenic. Between those two, I knew something had to change. My body was giving me emergency alerts, yet I had no clue what caused them nor what they meant. So I slowed down the training load since fatigue had clearly become chronic. I also started prioritizing rest and sleep better than I had done. Averaging less than six hours of sleep a night had found me there gutless with no fuel in my tank. So I started slowing down and smelling the rosebuds: I started training less days per week.

Six weeks after that and thus four weeks ago: I mostly stopped. Though that’s not really the right word - more like let myself go. Work got busy… like really busy. My life got extremely hectic with a multitude of doctor’s appointments and meetings that were years in the making. I did not prioritize the training. Like Hemmingway said of bankruptcy, so I did with phasing out my training days: “slowly, then all at once”. Seeing this happen but being lazy, busy, or whatever I was thinking, I thought I would try a different and far easier tactic: see if prioritizing sleep got me anywhere. And by sleep I mean like realllly good sleep. Though quite enjoyable, and great for the chronic stress-mess that is Jacob’s life, I think I know the result (or lack thereof) of my evenings spent with my head on a pillow and not feet on the road…

During those four weeks I also focused on two other tasks: reading and being sick… like really sick. A day or two of fever and multiple 20 hour days of horrible sleep left me lifeless. But the reading was soothing to the soul. Four volumes of comedial editorial compilations on farming and one book on endurance athlete nutrition reminded me the transfiguration of the mind that written text brings to one’s thoughts. For mere moments you are not anyone, but rather a character in the story of someone else’s words… at least until you put the book down. But cheeky as it sounds, the distractions brought comfort to me and depth to my otherwise mostly-shallow thoughts. Alas I finished the writings though.

Then it was time to put on my unusually thick and very overpriced running shoes. 22:41 was the time. So am I disappointed at the results? Yes.

But do results need to be the only objective? Would I trade off good race results for deeper learning of the subject or of character development? Can you outwork inadequate rest? Is running fast even important? Who’s to say what would be subjectively right or wrong in those situations? Best that I can come up with, that’s the key word: subjective… i.e. me. Shy of sovereign intervention, I’m the one responsible for deciding what’s important on my journey, I’m the one responsible for my training, and I’m the one who prioritizes each sect of my schedule. I’m also the one to blame when failure of ex*****on renders my dreams as delusions.

So call me delusional: I thought it would be easy. I thought I could cheat the system and just be great. I thought I wouldn’t have to be bothered by the compounding progress that is training intervals. So I failed. But hey, I also set a benchmark. This was a lesson. And I’ve never learned or grown quite as much as when I’ve failed. Using this knowledge, I shall recalibrate my goals and their meaning to me. Maybe I still want a fast time? Maybe I’ll lay that aside momentarily and try a different medium of training? Maybe I focus on something not physical? I’m not sure what the future holds. Though I’m unsure why, I know myself well enough to know that my greatest fear is stagnation. So with whatever I do, I’m confident I will find something to move forward with.

So again: privilege. Complaining of slower-than-desired legs while subconsciously remembering what it was like when told I had only a few hours left to live. Talk about cognitive dissonance…

People have called me inspirational, yet all I know is that I’m just me. But when I look in the mirror, I don’t even see me: I see a teenage boy who was scared for life itself and not knowing what was coming next. So I owe it to him to finish the story and to keep moving forward. 🧠≠💪

03/06/2026

And just like that, I got off work and gleefully hurried to McKinney to spend $216 for another pair of shoes. At that price, I think I need a sponsorship. Nonetheless this purchase enables me to keep me going for the next 400 miles of training. To put that scenario into perspective, every mile I run costs me $0.54 in shoe depreciation. This of course (pun intended!) excludes energy and electrolyte supplements that aid in my success.

In one year of health monitoring, I’ve spent 120 hours running 778 miles. I’ve used up two pairs of work boots and two pairs of running shoes to go 5,325,939 steps over the last year. This equates to using my legs for transportation across 2,767 miles in the last 365 days. Averaged out means I’ve walked or run 7.6 miles a day, every day, for the last year. I might not be famous, but I’m going places… literally!

Could you imagine what that life might be like if I didn’t recover from a paralysis-inducing traumatic brain injury resulting from chemotherapy treatment? How much different would life be? The thought that an individual might not recover from that sends chills down my spine just thinking about it.

When doctors and patients are faced with cancer diagnosis, the question becomes of how much more life is gained by enduring harsh and questionably-effective treatment? In my case, I think it paid off - I’ve lived (and loved) a lot more life.

Now it’s time to pay it forward in the post-treatment side of my life. Any suggestions for an epic event for my 2026? An epic run? A destination marathon? Collaborations with others? I’d sincerely love hearing any of your suggestions, or even share this if you think others might have ideas!

🧠≠💪

Jake’s Race: Mind over Body

10/19/2026

10/18/2026

10/13/2026

10/04/2026

09/26/2026

07/07/2026

06/24/2026

06/19/2026

04/28/2026

03/06/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request