Breakfast Club: August 14, 2018

breakfast club

the east bay's running newsletter 

Photo: Streakers Running Club

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Nine years ago, Jeff Thomas was 286 pounds. He was unhappy, smoking, and had low self-esteem.  After a neighbor invited him out on a run, he barely covered 100 feet before having to stop.  But he refused to give up.

This month, Jeff completed his 1,000-straight day of running.  In a piece in Runner's World, he reflected on how he began the streak, starting small with walk-jogs, trotting to the next tree before a walking break.  Jeff lost weight and gained fitness.  His runs got longer and he started signing up for races.  He has now run over 20 marathons.

I met Jeff last month in my hometown, Concord, North Carolina, where he has opened up a running store, complete with a bar.  The store sits downtown, a Southern-style main street that evokes the walkable sociability of the early twentieth century.  After closing down a nearby bar, I wandered in with a friend after 11pm, wondering how a running …