30 years of memories...

My running has become such a huge part of my life now that it is really hard to think back to that point in time when I did not run at all. It wasn’t until 1985 when I moved back to Texas for a new job that I took up “jogging” to stay in shape. Back then just getting in three runs a week was good enough for me. I never thought back then I would ever run more than 6 miles and certainly couldn’t imagine finishing a marathon. Now twenty-four years later, I cannot imagine not running.

More importantly the last few weeks I have begun to think back to that summer thirty years ago when I was in the midst of making the transition from living at home with my parents and siblings to living on my own at a college some 1,500 miles away from San Diego. I was 17. I had recently graduated from Kapaun-Mt. Carmel Academy in Wichita. My family had moved back to San Diego from Wichita because of a change in my father’s career. And I had registered for classes in the fall of 1979 at Texas Christian University.

It is said that there are several life changing events that can cause stress in your life. Things that may cause stress include being laid off from your job, your child leaving or returning home, the death of your spouse, divorce or marriage, an illness, an injury, a job promotion, money problems, moving, or having a baby. In the summer of ’79, I was experiencing several life changing events in my life all at one time. I had graduated, moved, lived on my own for six weeks in Pittsburg, KS, and was leaving home to head off to college. But, looking back on that summer, I don’t really recall any stress at all. I seem to only remember the feeling of excitement at the prospect of starting on life’s journey alone where I could and had to make choices without the help of my parents.

Thinking back to that summer made me think about those friends I left behind so many years ago when I moved back to San Diego. As I slogged through my training miles memories of each and every friend I had made in High School and College kept creeping into my consciousness. I realized that although I kept up with some of my closer friends over the past 30 years or so, I had lost touch with so many. People who were so important to me. Perhaps the fact that my 30th High School reunion was this year brought all of those memories flooding back. What I am sad to say is that I have not spoken to most of my closest friends from back then in many years. As I like to say, “Life got in the way.” It is not an excuse. Just a truism.

I admit that I thought of them often over the years. A song, movie, play or something I saw would remind me of them. I have regaled my children with stories from my days at Kapaun-Mt. Carmel. We really did have some wonderful times together. I never really knew how to reconnect or even find those long lost friends. Finally, I have been able to reconnect with many of these long lost friends through Facebook. Some people think Facebook is a big waste of time. It can be. But, I am thankful for it because it has allowed me the chance to hear from those people who influenced my life back when I was 15-17. The friends who in many ways helped me become the man I am today.

What is so interesting about reconnecting with an old friend is that time just melts away. The friends I have spoken with all seemed to be pleasantly surprised to hear from me after all of the intervening years. I was a little worried about not having anything in common anymore or nothing to talk about. What I found was that the shared history we had was the beginning conversation piece. The chance to update each other and what we’ve missed seems to have us talking nonstop. It was silly to be nervous about it.

I am grateful to be able to reconnect with my old friends. It is amazing that when I finally get a chance to talk with them whether or not on-line or in person that it likes yesterday. Our friendship bond is still there. I have found that my friends have been busy living life just like me. The best part is that they all seem to be the same person I knew just a bit older, wiser and having had more life experiences. I intend to be a better friend to them and stay in closer touch. I didn’t realize how much I missed them until we reconnected.

I will close with a great quote about friends from Albert Schweitzer, “In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” For all of my friends new and old who read this blog, I want you to know I am thankful for you and you ability to rekindle my inner spirit.

Here are my training totals:

July 26 – 10.10 miles (1:26:52, 8:36 pace)
July 27 – 6.20 miles (51:21, 8:36 pace)
July 28 – 3.60 miles (27:35, 7:40 pace) – 5K Speedwork w/½ mi warm up
July 30 – 7.10 miles (57:07, 8:03 pace) – Tempo
July 31 – 6.10 miles (51:53, 8:30 pace)
Aug. 1 – 10.00 miles (1:24:29, 8:27 pace)

Total Miles: 43.10 miles

2009 YTD Miles: 1,231.10 miles