Training for Team Hunter

It's a cliche I'm certain, but it has never been a desire of mine to blog about anything to anyone . What would I have blogged about anyway, being an actor in LA? How narcissistic or gay would that be? and I mean gay in the high school sense of the word, no idea that people of the same sex actually wanted to make out with one another. It was ignorant then, it's ignorant now, but some times the word just fits so beautifully. Yes I went to high school before Ellen came out on Ellen and yes my wife and I are looking for a great gay couple to be friends with. I've written five sentences and already It's dawning on me that this could be a very bad idea. But bad ideas are far more fun anyways right? Right, so I'm going to blog unapologetically for the next 5 weeks as I train up to run the Cinco De Mayo 10K for Pediatric Cancer Research. I will run as a member of our global village, as a father, and for one Hunter Zen Thawley.

Day 1 "Silverlake Reservoir"

It's 2.2 miles around this beautiful reservoir complete with dog park, basketball court, and children's day care. Too bad I won't actually be running it today, It'll be more like a recon mission through Trader Joe's. For one, I've never run more than a mile in my entire life and two, I've been shut down physically for 6 weeks due to a torn hamstring I sustained playing basketball. Torn hammy, come on, I've never even thought about that muscle. As a matter of fact I didn't even know what's it's purpose was until I hurt it. For those interested, it's the largest muscle in your body and it's responsible for retracting the lower leg. Not sure what it's good for other than running, well maybe for pulling the ottoman a little closer, now that is incredibly important.

So the plan is to walk half the loop around the reservoir, warm up the hamstring, and lightly jog the second half. It just so happens I have a 50yr old friend who lives right by the reservoir. What better person to have join me. He won't push the pace and I won't feel the need to alpha male him. Everything went as I had planned, I barely broke a sweat and it was a pleasant lap. My friend is a wealth of knowledge and he couldn't have been better company. My only regret is that I did the lap shirtless. Ashamed of my body I am not, but walking and talking to another Asian guy for a mile and a half around a reservoir with my shirt off, well that's just.......a little too Sex in the City.

So I'll run once or twice a week, cross train with some swimming and basketball, and voila I'll be ready to run this 10K. I'm well aware this isn't a monumental accomplishment in of itself and the training for it hardly deserves blogging about, but it's the why we run that has inspired me. I've always had a special place in my heart for children, probably because I am forever one myself. Being a father these past 4 years has been the greatest privilege of my life. It has been a lot of work and I'm painfully aware that the challenges will only become more difficult (I'm already constructing the gun case that will reside above and behind my desk) In return I only ask for one thing. That I may watch her grow, tackle life, and reach for her fullest potential. Young Hunter like many other children have not been afforded this opportunity. It kills me, and the hurt the families endure, kills me. For some back story, two weeks ago I sent this email out to my friends and family.

Hi everyone, two months ago Trish somehow convinced me to run a 10K marathon with her on the Cinco de Mayo. It's a run organized by The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. We have a team of 10 running and collectively our goal has been to raise 1500 dollars. Originally, I was simply going to raise my share locally and go suffer along with all the other runners but the circumstances have changed. Over the past week, this run and this cause has become painfully and incredibly personal for me. On Monday our friends Zen Todd and Lenore Davis lost their boy Hunter to Leukemia, he was only 3 1/2. He fought valiantly for over two years and he has become my hero. His parents have given all their love and all their strength to him and it is time for them to now rest. We are picking up the fight and we are going to run and take it to the cancer. Help us celebrate and honor the life this young man lived, please donate and join Team Hunter. I know times are tough but in this cause like many others, every dime counts, so there is no amount too small. But either way we are all family and I love you all dearly, hope to see everyone soon- J

I have no idea what to expect of this blog, but I can say it'll be candid and have my honest point of view. I can say it will not be a constant solicitation for donations to the Pediatric Cancer Research fund, but it will always be an option should you want to, and I can say only jog with your shirt off if you're by yourself .

We run May 2nd

To learn more about Hunter, you can read his mother's blog at www.healinghunter.com <http://www.healinghunter.com/>

to make a donation for the run please visit my donation page
http://pcrf-kids.org.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=329465&lis=1&kntae329465=94C6BC013E8D47C1AC923632E6F9944F&supId=283487581