Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday Dad! OK, I’m a day late (and failed to get a card in the mail, but I did call him like a good daughter and I’m taking him out for a really nice dinner someplace he’s always wanted to go to on Saturday night) on this wish as his birthday was yesterday, but like I said, I did call him and we talked for a while. I love my dad very much and appreciate so much the sacrifices he’s made over the years for his family. He worked long hours and often away from home to be able to give us all the things we needed and many of the things we didn’t need but wanted and he has always been there when I need him.

When I was running high school track, meets were during the week, but also on weekends. Weekends were the time dad was home and his time to relax and maybe do yard work or whatever he needed or wanted to do before he had to go back to work, away from home, during the week…but he was always there for meets. Even when they were far away and took up almost all of his Saturday. He never complained about the time he could be doing other things…he was there to cheer and watch and was always proud. He even came to a during the week event once, when it happened to be close to where he was working, and was later at night, and he had to get up early to work in the morning. He wasn’t able to express verbally how he felt, at least not easily, but he definitely showed me through his actions how he felt. Any chance he had to be at any events he was there and this has carried through into my adult life as well.

When I decided to run a marathon, and chose one that was father’s day weekend, dad and mom hauled their fifth wheel up to Duluth, camped out and were there to watch, and dad was right at the finish line to get a sweaty hug. After that weekend he even sent me a card, thanking me for a wonderful father’s day and the chance to be there to watch me finish. He was then bragging to all his friends and co-workers about my running. When I ran Chicago, he was there, meeting my internet running friends and figuring out why I enjoyed being on line chatting to them so much, and braving the streets of Chicago (dad HATES big cities), cheering for me when I needed the help at mile 16.5 and then surprising me by seeing me cross the finish line. He had even bought me flowers for my finish…. Then my PR marathon, when I ALMOST got my BQ he was there again. Again father’s day weekend and again something that he was happy to do. He has the miles for a free ticket, and he almost used them to come see me run at Marine Corp, but I’m actually glad he didn’t, because I told him I’d like him to hold those miles, I’d love to have him use them to fly to Boston…because I want him to be there for the biggest. There are so many people I know that get funny looks and little support for their running from people close to them. They hear all about how bad it can be for you and their families don’t even try to understand it. My dad never has to asked me why I run, he just knows I do, knows I love it and is there to support me no matter where or why. Hopefully I can make him proud and have him see me hit that time I need next year at Twin Cities. I love you dad.