Running
Running was a big part of our lives in the 90's. George took it up and it was an addiction. He went out running every morning before most of us were up. He couldn't miss a day. I remember Christmas morning when the kids woke up and he was out running, I had to hold them off from opening their presents until he got back and took a quick shower.
George also like competing in races. He entered short ones 5K-10K to the mother of all races, a marathon in Rhode Island. He took a while to recover from the marathon. He placed a number of times in his age category.
Now, as I previously posted about "being there", I was there for all his races. Now was I happily there? Often not really to be truthful. I think there is nothing more boring than watching a road race. You cheer them on at the beginning and then you just hang around for half an hour or more to see them come over the finish line. There weren't seats for the spectators to sit on. I would have thought that I could have brought a book to read, but I really don't remember what I did those times.
The most "annoying" one for the family, well, other than holding back the kids at Christmas, was the Manchester Thanksgiving Day Road Race. It's pretty hard to cook a turkey when you are attending a race. My family was always used to an early dinner--1 pm was late for them. That year my Mom had to cook and it was a little annoying to not know what time we would arrive. As someone who often cooks for others, I so get that.
Now I don't like to sound like a bitter old wife. I am truly glad he had this activity that he enjoyed and I know he missed it for many years when he had to stop. I now have arthritis and I didn't run, but I really wonder if running was partly responsible for his knee problems. They say "motion is lotion" but I think too much of anything, even exercise, is not good. Of course, this woman who doesn't like exercising is going to say that!
Our kids each did one race with him. Both, in separate years, participated in the Norfolk 5 Mile Road Race (in CT). Tiffany was around 10, I will have to verify her age. Tiffany came in last, but it came with a "reward". Seth Moseley was a famous journalist that lived in Norfolk at the time. He had covered the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and the Hindenburg disaster. He would traditionally interview the last-place finisher for the Norfolk Road Race. I do have Tiffany's newspaper interview that I will at some point attach to here, but for now I have to get these daily memories out. Tiffany did try running later in life and did run another race, I believe.
Ben was around 6 when he ran the Norfolk Road Race with his Dad. I don't remember how he placed. I know it was at the end of the pack, but he didn't get an interview. Ben did not take up running or race again.
I was always the cheerleader--smiling and cheering at the beginning and end--and grumpy in the middle. Not really. I'm sure I was reading or talking to someone. I am glad he did something he loved.
"I have fought the food fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
2 Timothy 4:7
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