River Region Runners

Carri Duke has run five marathons, too many half marathons to remember and her share of shorter-distance road races.

But despite the miles she has run, and the time dedicated to training for each race, she learned her biggest challenge isn't on the roads.

Her biggest challenge came when her then 12-month-old daughter, Samantha Grace, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

A marathon is easy in comparison.

I sat with my daughter at the dinner table this week as she refused to eat her potatoes au gratin.

In a way only 6-year-olds can do, she told me, "I don't want to!" She cried, put her head on the table, those tears of hers hitting both the dining table and floor. It was the first real dinner I've made in what felt like weeks: salmon steaks, the potatoes, salad.

I didn't make any running resolutions last year. I was injured ar the beginning of the year and focused more on healing than allowing myself to look too far ahead.

It's hard to "resolve" when it hurts even to walk.

I'll be in Texas this week. Should pull into San Antonio this evening with my 6-year-old after two days of post-Christmas driving.

I'm here to run some new courses -- someone else's backyard. I'm picking a place in the Hill Country, San Antonio's downtown streets, and possibly might see what the roads have to offer at Texas State University, my alma mater in San Marcos. Of course, there's always the track for this week's intervals. Sigh.