I am that idiot

It's the wee hours of the morning and I hear the rain pouring down outside my bedroom window. I know my normal Saturday morning run with the running club awaits, but thoughts of skipping this week begin to dance in my head. Finally, I crawl out of bed, check the weather online and make that tough decision. What the heck, I'm going anyway! As I drive to the Streamway Northgate access sight, the rain begins to change to snow. Actually, this is a big break. Wondering whether I'll be running by myself on this day, I arrive to find Jay, Marty and soon comes Margaret. Allright, three other crazy souls!

Off we go for our normal run, all feeling a bit proud that were able to brave the weather to feed our addiction. As we turn north onto Ridgeview, the snow becomes heavier and is blowing right into our faces. The flakes are as big and wet as Japanese pearl oysters but provide a quenching of thirst when landing on the tongue. I imagine what I would have thought years ago if I saw someone running up the street in weather like this; what an idiot! Now, I guess, I've become that same idiot. I've grown a lot since those days and am proud of my new self. So, how did I get here? Well, rather than the typical attempt to do a light-hearted, comical running report, I'm gonna go off in a different direction.

I guess the turning point for me must have been in 1998. We're at my 13 year old sons soccer game and one of the other fathers, knowing that I loved hockey, asks me if I'm interested in playing with his team. Normally, my lazy lifestyle would have dictated an instant no, but something here peaked my interest. I did decide to give it a whirl. Geez, my son needs a better role model than a father running up and down the soccer sidelines with a cigarette hanging from his mouth all while yelling at the poor kid.

A couple days later, I dug out my 25 year old vintage hockey gear and headed out to the rink. I used to play alot when I was younger, so hopefully, I won't make too big of fool of myself. It felt rejuvenating to step out onto the ice again. I skated hard that day and after a few shifts I remember thinking; "Holy missing oxygen Batman, I can hardly breathe." Somehow I made it through that game, had a blast and they invited me back. I knew right then, if was going to play this game again, I'd have to quit smoking. so after 25 some years of toking on the cancer sticks, I made the commitment to myself. After so many previous failures to quit, this time I finally made it.

I went on to play hockey until I turned 50 and I'd like to think I motivated my son, Billy, enough to pick up the game himself. We played together on a summer league, on what we called a father/son team. Many of us fathers on the team had kids the same age and they were all skaters. We played about three summers in a row together and it was one of my proudest moments as a father, to be playing alongside my own kid. My son went on to play with the high school team and I finally chose to hang up the skates. It was a tough decision for me, hockey had helped me quit smoking and got me back into shape and was just plain old fun.

Once my skating career was over, the pounds started to attach to me with relative ease. I kept going to the gym and running on the treadmill a mile or two, but that had little effect. My daughter had now left home on gone on to college and began running to keep in shape. We became running partners during the summer and in 2003 she convinced me to try a 12K race. At the time, the furthest I had run was 4 miles and I thought I was going to die after that. I completed that race and was so excited to cross the finish line, a new pastime was born. My daughter continued to push me and eventually it became easier and easier. Then in 2006, we were in St Louis where I ran my first half-marathon and Alison ran the full. I remember waiting at the finish line for her to come in and I watched some of the other people cross the line.

Hey, I look like I'm better shape than that guy, whoa, that guy is older than me and they all made it through. On that day came the first thought of ever attempting a full marathon. I think I really became a true runner on that day. Now, I've finished 3 marathons and plan to do 3 more this year. Some kids look to their parents as role models and for support, but I can honestly say that I am now both influenced and inspired by my daughter.

Thank you Billy and Alison.