This is a fun entry for me. The top picture is me with Dave McGillvrary and Dick Hoyt. We met again at the Run For All Ages 5k in Wakefield, Ma. on November 1st. Dick (between me and Dave) you will remember is a tremendously well known triathlete. He is also in many of the entries you will read in this blog section.
Dave is known for many things in the athletic world. He has done a tremendous amount of races from ironmen to marathons (by the many, many dozens), he owns his own sports event organizing company (www.DMSE.com), he is the race director for the Boston Marathon, a motivational speaker, and has many many more great accomplishments. The bottom photo was taken when I got to meet Dave's wife, Katie, daughter,Elle,son Luke (in Dave's arms because it was the only way to keep him still for a couple seconds), and the newest addition 5 month old Chloe. It was a great pleasure to finally get to meet the family I've heard so many great things about.
But Dave and I are known to our friends, family and acquaintances as "the other guy". You see, Dave and I share the unique position in time to not only have both run across the United States, but, we were doing it at the same time and 85% of the time on the same roads. I'll bet that's something you can't tell people about many of your friends. We were about 2 weeks apart in 1978 and didn't know about each other until Dave had someone in Creston, Iowa tell him about "This other guy that's doing the same thing". I was mentioned in the book Dave wrote called "THE LAST PICK" and he will definitely be mentioned in the book we are putting together about my next run.
What makes it fun, and I didn't realize this until the Nov 1 race in Wakefield, is that we talk about each other with the same introduction or description. We proceed our talking about each other by first saying, "This is the other guy that was running across the country at the same time I was.". I know I do it and I finally noticed that that is the way Dave has introduced me to many of his friends and family.
This may not mean much to many of you reading these entries, but, I many times think in terms of----What Are The Odds----and this is sure one of those times.
I somehow just felt I needed to get a picture with Karen before the Run For All Ages day was over on Nov, 1st. She just seemed to be everywhere I looked. As you can see she took a metal, 2nd place in her age division. But even outside of the award I saw other people getting their picture with Karen. She is on http://www.runwithken.com/ from the race, she turned up on many of the pictures I took and just seemed to be "THE PERSON" I needed a picture with before I left the area.
It was while talking to the Vitacoco girls, that you will read about 2 entries after this one, that the opportunity came about. It made me feel the day was just a bit more complete. "Thank You Karen for the picture and the memory".
If you could turn the clock back 2 years, I could look you in the eyes and say "I don't know anybody in these photos except myself", and be 100% correct. But now, 2 years later, that would be very incorrect.
You have actually seen all 3 of these people in this blog section of my site more than once. In the top photo I am with Dick Hoyt and Billy "The Coach" Sheehan. Dick is an "Ironman" Hall Of Famer and we've run (sorry about the pun) into each other at many races. My daughter at her 1st race was able to meet Dick almost as she was just arriving. Billy has been helping me in many ways as I move forward in trying to organize this next run. He is truly a great friend.
Jessica I met at a 5 miler in Haverill, Ma. last year and now at the Run For All Ages twice along with several other races since. She's always smiling, very competitive, and is always just a pleasure to see.
Getting to meet these people and to be able to call them friends has been more than worth traveling all over to go run races.
Believe it or not these 2 photos are related!!! The first picture is me with Emily and Monique at the Run For All Ages race on Nov. 1. They were handing out a newer sports related drink to all the runners that wanted to try it. They told me about the drink and the company both of which peaked my interest. They were able to provide me with the info on how to get in touch with a rep. from the company and a few days later Jessica (2nd photo) and I were able to sit and talk, obviously in Boston. Jessica is the north east rep for Vitacoco and we are discussing the possibilities of a partial sponsorship with my run.
This entry should show you the stories that can be found at a road race and that there is alot of activity going on with my run that we are working to put together.
In an attempt to get a picture of all these friends who had gathered to run in the Run For All Ages race in Wakefield, Ma. I had to take 2 pictures. In the top picture is a gentleman in a red jacket whose name I realized I didn't get (sorry) then there is Chris, me, Chris and Tina. In the 2nd picture is Chris, me, Chris, and Kelly. For the Chris that is to your right in each picture, this was his first road race. He was also out to beat the other Chris. Well---that didn't happen. Maybe next time. Tina had a great day as she took 1st for the women that day. And she beat both Chris and Chris. Another reason in the world of running we guys need to leave our male egos home on race day. Great job to all of you and I hope running together helps your friendships grow over the years.
I had never met Ken until Nov. 1. I ran in a race on Nov. 1 in Lexington, Ma.. As I was running I noticed a guy who not only brought a camera to the race, but, was taking pictures as he was running the race. He would hold up the camera as he ran and snapped off pictures. Then a week later I'm running in the Run For All Ages in Wakefield, Ma. and as I'm coming up on a guy to pass he holds up a camera and snaps a picture. Now it's been said (usually by me) that I can't remember things, but, it had only been a week since I last saw this roving photographer. So I made sure I tracked him down after the race. First thing I did was capture a picture of someone taking my picture as I was taking theirs and then I found out he posted all his photos on www.runwithken.com . We became new friends and got a chance to laugh at each other a bit. He's a great guy who likes to show case others in their world of running. He belongs to the mystic runners club and I expect we'll see each other again in each other's view finder. "Thanks for the neat photo Ken".
These are a couple pictures from the Run For All Ages 5k on November 11. There were a lot of photos from that day because it turned out to be one of those days that kept getting better and better as the day and the sunshine
progressed. Vicky and I not only were wearing matching running shirts but ended up finishing together hand in hand with arms held high as we crossed the finish line. She is a member of the North Shore Running Club. Sheila is a mother of a 2 year old who enjoys running these races and uses it as a get away with her friends for a couple hours on race day. Just 2 of the many people and stories I encourage people to look for when they go to the race/walk events. The conversations we shared and their smiles really helped make my day brighter.
To me claiming a "victory" means you have overcome something. Maybe you have been fighting for something and have won. Or, you've had a trying time for some reason and now you've gotten past it. But to me it means you have struggled, pressed forward, defied the odds and have been "victorious". For my daughter that might be her feelings about what you see in this picture.
This is my daughter, Michelle, and I crossing the finish line in her first race ever. We were running the Canal Digger's Race in Worcester, Ma. this past October. She had trained for only 3 weeks and was worried about running the race and all the "things" that could happen. This is how most people feel before they throw themselves into the world of running races. To her finishing the race was a victory. And a great one at that.
To me, however, that is not what this finish and picture mean. I have always told Michelle to strive to do the best she can at whatever she chooses to do in life. But, I've never tried to push her to be great at something that I thought she should do. I never pushed her to run because I knew that, although I loved to run, it was not her "thing".
Michelle decided that she wanted to join me in this race. It was HER that took on the challenge to train and get ready to run the Canal Digger's Race with her dad. It was HER choice to come out to the race that day dispite all the butterflies in her stomach and worries in her head. But, she came. She ran. She is celebrating a victory in this picture and deserves to be doing so.
To me, however, crossing a finish line with my daughter, hands clentched and raised high was a time for my heart to be filled with pride, my soul to rejoice, and my spirit to celebrate the answer to prayer.
These pictures show just part of the overall feast that was available at the Lexington, Ma. 5k/10k road race on November 1st. Not shown were tables with soups, bagels, drinks and many other tasty treats. I was glad I had run the race so I didn't feel quite so guilty about the large quantities of food I consumed before the day was over. Again you should take notice of all the volunteers working the tables. "THANKS LEXINGTON" for making the day fulfilling and filling.
As you know I always like to recognise the volunteers that help put on the run/walk events that we participate in so easily. Fred and Vanessa were the first people I met while I was registering for a race in Lexington, Ma. on November 1. The smiles you see were not just for the camera. I watched as they greeted and helped people and the smiles were always there. The 2nd picture showing all the brightly colored volunteer shirts actually only shows about 25% of the volunteers that helped make the day one to enjoy.
Have you ever wondered what the kids, that do this to their shoes, say to their parents when they go home?????
I found this cluster while getting ready for a 5k in Enfield, Ct..
