Hi everyone and happy pre-marathon Friday!

My name is Marci Darlington and I am the current mayor for the village of Mt. Sterling, Ohio. I believe this is my 4th marathon.  For the first two years, I signed up for the 24 hour marathon.  I think I went 18 the first year and not sure about year two before I gave myself permission to just do the 12.    I am doing the half again this year and I have a question that if I were to have more stamina this year and want to go further, is that allowed?

I have lived in Mt. Sterling for 7 years and am at the end of my first 4 year term as mayor.  I have decided not to run for a second term and am ok with that decision. I have learned a lot about the politics of a small, mostly rural village, good and ugly and I have achieved some of my initial objectives, but not all.  At the end of February, I had a bad fall due to increased unsteadiness on my feet.  My bad left knee, which needs to be replaced, did not help the weakness. I had some tests run and was diagnosed as having crushed discs and in April I had a 6 hour ACDF surgery where they replaced 3 discs in my upper neck (c-4 through c-7 I believe)  Recovery has been very slow but moving in a positive direction.  Due to the fact that I still have the  bone-on-bone left knee, I am still using a walker, have yet to go back to sleeping upstairs and have yet to get behind the wheel of my van.  But soon!!  While I was off, our president of council was acting mayor and he is running to be the new mayor.  He would be great!!

I feel like I have a lot to write about this year, between losing my dad at age 92 who was living with us a;long with my mom, to helping our close-knit family recover from some wounds from differences in opinions in regards to Covid, the mayor gig and dealing with some depression brought on and piled on by all of those.  I have my books for prompt ideas, photos and previous poems for inspiration, snacks and chair cushions, comfy clothes and the support of my hubby who has been amazing during my bad days and good ones, the dogs who love unconditionally and the support of my family and friends!!

I hope I get to chat with some of you along the way……pleasant dreams and tomorrow, may the words flow easily!!