Sometimes I feel like a broken record. When I first started to think about how to present this announcement, I felt that everything I wrote, I’d said before. When I announced my invitation to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon, I wrote about the driving motivation for me. Running for something bigger than myself. The balance of the selfish and the selfless.

And so, when I sat down to write this, I wrote the umpteenth verse of that same song and it felt like I was eight minutes into Stairway to Heaven and the audience was getting bored.

The truth is that both of these announcements are unique and – in their own right – really amazing, life-changing opportunities for me. So, let’s first get the announcing out of the way.

Thanks to the gracious sponsorship of STRIVE Trips, on March 1st, 2014 at 10am, I’ll step onto a treadmill at Marathon Sports in Boston, MA and attempt to cover 13.1 miles (the half-marathon distance) faster than anyone has before on a treadmill. If I can run under the current world record of 1 hour, 7 minutes, and 29 seconds, I can set a new World Record.

That covers the who, what, where, and when (for the how, you can read my training logs!). All that’s left is the why. The truth is that the driving force motivating me hasn’t changed; and perhaps that’s why it’s hard to write about it without seeming stale. But it doesn’t make it any less important.

I’m running to raise money and awareness for STRIVE’s charitable projects – providing scholarships for students to take part in STRIVE programs and the development of a community center in rural Peru. I’ve written before about how I run stronger when I’m running for something greater than myself. And I may sound like a broken record, but I’m going to say it again. It’s still true.

Having worked as a leader on several STRIVE Trips, I have personally witnessed first-hand the life-changing effects that these trips can have on STRIVE student-athletes. I have seen this literally, in one case, where a student decided to return to South America after discovering a love for it on his STRIVE program. Similarly, in the communities in which we work, the long term relationships developed and the level of education provided have a strong impact on children, their families and the entire communities.

So, while the motivation may be the same, the level – the intensity – is proportional to the stage. Being invited to debut at the Boston Marathon was an enormous honor and a huge stage for me and for STRIVE. Being able to set a World Record raises the bar even higher for me. But a bigger stage just pushes me to perform at an even higher level. Knowing that I run for STRIVE’s projects and that the bar is as high as possible, I know I’ll be able to achieve something spectacular.

********

To kick-off support of Tyler’s run, STRIVE will be donating $5000 to the STRIVE Scholarship fund. To support Tyler and STRIVE Scholarships and other charitable projects yourself, please visit www.youcaring.com/strive.