How best to honor my father who is a Marine if I run MCM next year

[Krandor]

just a little background on myself. I am somebody who let myself get very overweight and have lost almost 100 pounds in the past 8 months and am planning on doing a half marathon in January.

Anyway, after I finish the half marathon, I would really like to move onto a full marathon and assuming I can get in (and yes, I know it fills up quick), the Marine Corps Marathon is one I would like to do because it is in our nation's capital and is often viewed as the people's marathon. My father was also a Marine which does give it a certain significance.

Now, my father who is still alive was a Marine and I know he served in Vietnam and won't talk about his experiences there which I completely respect.

However, if I am able to get to the point I can run a full marathon and do the Marine Corps marathon, it just seems appropriate to somehow honor him and his service if I run since he was a Marine. I am just not sure what the best way to do that is. This is a question at least a year out since I am not running this year but would like to get to where I could do it next year.

So I figured asking other people who are associated with the Marines would be a good way to go. If your son, who is not in the armed forces but respects them, was running in the MCM and wanted to respect your service in the Marines, what would be the best way to do so?

I just feel if I run MCM I need to do something but just not sure what would be most appropriate especially since he is still alive (and I hope will still be if I run). Suggestions would be most appreciated.

Similar Threads:

• not a marine but thinking of getting a marine tattoo in honor of my father.opinions?
• Honor thy Father
• Father of Marine reflects a year after death of son
• Marine of the Year--Brenham's Joseph Wells earns prestigious honor

[Rocky C]

I think that is a great, noble thing to do to Honor your Dad.

The Marine Corps Marathon is every October so you have a lot of time to prepare yourself for next year.

Also, I don't know if you know this but there are different course lengths to the marathon depending on your skill level.

Congrats on the weight loss and best of luck to you.

Keep us posted a year from now.

[Apache]

Respect # 1 don't be dead last

[03GyRene]

I see that this thread is about a month old so don't know if you will even see this...but, I hope you do, and hope you run the marathon. I ran the Marine Corps marathon several years ago and it was amazing. Believe me, your dad will be very proud if you do it. it would be even better if he could be there to watch you finish. I'm not sure what the course looks like now, but when I ran it we finished at the Iwo Jima monument in Arlington...a place that is sacred to Marines. When they open it up for registration it will fill up fast so you will want to know when you can register and get right on it. If you are running half-marathons you'll be ok to run the marathon in a year. You'll get so much energy from the huge crowd of onlookers as well as the Marines there to support the marathon that you won't feel any pain (at least not until the next day!)...I hope you do it, it will be a highlight not only in your life but in your dad's. Good luck to you.