Training Part 2

Now that the Minnetonka Triathlon is behind me, I turn my attention to the Marathon.  Today was a light three mile run around Lake of the Isles with Scott Berry.  While it wasn't my best run of the season, it felt good to get out there and get those three miles under my belt.  Over the course of the month of July I will log over 40 training miles and have four interval training days.  The hope is that by August I will have a great base established for my mid training half marathon (Minneapolis 13.1) and the first 20 mile run of my life.

Twelve Years Ago Today

John Lennon wrote, ‘Life is what happens to you, while you're busy making other plans.’  While I was packing for college twelve years ago today, life happened to me.  My dad died that night of a heart attack.  The next days blurred into the next year, with only a few milestones sticking out in my mind - moving to college, that first Christmas and moving home for the summer.  I was a shadow of myself, a zombie.  My family noticed it but I didn't.

Fall semester of my sophomore year marked the bottom for me. My grades were subpar, I was struggling with the daily grind of college and I even started lashing out at my family.  They quickly became fed up with my zombie state about the same time I started to notice that I needed help.  In January 2001, I sought grief counseling at Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS) in Shoreview, Minn.  Over the course of the next semester, a counselor named Paul worked with me.  I noticed a dramatic improvement in my grades, my temperament and my overall enjoyment of life.  In May, Paul told me that he felt I was ready to graduate from his services, but that he and NYFS would be there for me if I needed them again.

From then on, I started leading the life I knew I could  - and one that would make my Dad proud.  I graduated from the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2003 with a bright future.  But I never forgot Paul and NYFS and the impact they had on my life.

Three years ago, I found the challenge I was ready for in my life; I took up triathlons and distance running after watching a good friend of mine from high school finish IRONMAN Wisconsin.  That day with the inspiration at the IRONMAN finish line, I set a goal to pay homage to my dad with physical fitness. Since 2009, distance sports have become a staple of my life.  This October 2, I am running the Twin Cities Marathon, my first marathon.

As I train for the marathon, my goal is to raise $5000 for NYFS help kids in their hour of need, just as NYFS helped me.

Northwest Youth and Family Services is a community-based non-profit that assists youth and families for healthy lives.  In addition to mental health services, NYFS offers to youth: mentoring, summer camp, employment training programs, and other opportunities.  Many of these programs are offered either as pay-as-you-can or for free.  While I had health insurance to pay for my counseling services, many do not. And I want to help those kids.


Everyone needs help at some point in life.  You can make a difference – here’s how to help:

1.       Donate to NYFS to help this great organization assist children and families in our community.  Click here to contribute.  Click on Donate Online and in the instructions to NYFS tab, please put Tony Burton – Marathon.

2.       Follow my training blog   bnbrunningfactory.blogspot.com

3.       Come cheer me on as I run 26.2 miles on October 2.

Thanks for your support,

Tony