Here I go running the Marine Corps Marathon 10K one more time.  I tried to quietly let the team fill up, but my ever creative OAR team found a way to get me an entry. I'm at the age where my body is saying, "Oh, no!", and it takes a sharp eye to discern whether I'm jogging or walking. So, this year's 10K is truly shaping up to be "The Last OOOHRAH" for this old Jarhead.

As before, I am running for autism and the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). I've been part of OAR and vice versa for almost 18 years now.  The money we raise goes to many uses:

•  Research. We don't fund fruit fly studies.  We fund studies that offer insight and outcomes that apply to the everyday challenges of autism.
•  Education. We've awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to young persons with autism for college and vocational-technical studies since 2007.
•  Evidence-based resources. From the just launched online sex education resource for self-advocates to our 9 Life Journey through Autism series of guides for parents and teachers to siblings resources and more, all of our resources are based on     current research and practice and presented in user-friendly terms even this old Jarhead can comprehend!
•  Long term impact:
  • Our Kit for Kids peer education materials, introduced in 2012, have been used across the U.S. and on four continents by my count: Asia (Vietnam and Saudi Arabia), Austrailia, Europe, and, of courser, North America (U.S. and Canada) teaching a message of kindness, acceptance, and friendship to more than 125,000 children in that span. 
  • Hire Autism. For the past two years we've been exploring ways to improve employment opportunities for older teens and adults with autism.  It's been a steep learning curve for us, but nowhere near as steep as the job search incline individuals with autism face.  Proud to report that our Hire Autism team has helped 56 people find jobs here in No. VA  in the last two years. Now we're working on the strategy and plan to extend quality job search support to persons with autism across the U.S., our big challenge for 2020!

Above and beyond my OAR mission, Marine Corps Marathon race day and the 10K race, in particular, are events I look forward to all year.  It's a morning when you see and feel all that's good about America, welcome respite from the all the day-to-day noise life brings.  On October 27, we will by listenting and singing along with the National Anthem on the National Mall, which will be followed immediately by the boom of a howiitzer, the Marine's version of the starting gun. With that the runners of all shapes, sizes, ages, identities, affiliations, colors, religions, and more will jump off in common purpose of running 6.2 miles and so many different individual reasons. 

I run for OAR, autism, and the many individuals and families I've met in my almost 20 years working in the community.  On the course, I will see people running for St. Jude's, Catholic Vocations, and so many great charities and causes.  As a Marine, I am always moved by the Moms, Dads, brother, sisters, friends, and fellow service members who run in memory of a loved one or brother- or sister-in-arms.  I try to read the back of every T-shirt they wear and offer a "God bless and Semper Fi" as they pass by me (I obviously need to start closer to the front to maximize the experience! :)) I look forward to every water point, not for the refreshing liquid, but to see the line of young Marines, often new lieutenants, holding out cups of water or Gatorade. As I approach them, I will give them my best OOOHRAH, the Marines' distinctive motivational greeting in delightful anticipation of their instantaneous response, 30-50 young voices booming OOOOHRAH back at me!  Emblem injection to the max!!! Who needs water after that?

Then on to the Finish Line, literally in the shadow of the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial.  Of course, it's hardly a sprint to the finish even for the strongest runners.  You see, the last 2 tenths of a mile, the .2 in the 6.2 or 26.2 as the case may be, is uphill!  Would you expect anything less from the Marine Corps?!!!  But there, beyond the finish line is the reward. It's not the cool medals or space blankets the Marines always have; it's the line of more young Marines (they are all young to me) waiting to congratulate you, hang the medal on your neck, then shake your hand with another "OOOHRAH, Semper Fi."

Wow!  After writing this, even I am wondering if this will actually be "The Last OOOHRAH!".  Regardless, wish me luck.

God Bless and Semper Fi to all.  Thank you for your friendship and support for many years.  OOOHRAH, Semper Fi