There is a section on the Broad Street Run web site for runner's stories. It's a chance to share why you've decide to do the run. This year I decided to enter my story. I'm not sure where on the site you can read other runners stories, but I wanted to share my story with all of you. Here is what I sent in:
Why do I run Broad Street every year?
My story starts about nine years ago when I had recently starting dating my now wife. When she learned that I would occasionally go running and complete six miles without thinking about it, she suggested I do the Broad Street Run with her guardian Bruce. The joke was Bruce ran the 10-mile race to work off the beer he was going to drink at the end. I listened to these suggestions for about five years before I actually decided to run with Bruce, by then my father-in-law. As I prepared for that first race, Bruce would check-up on my progress and give me some pointers. He walked me through the process of registering, picking-up my race packet, and what to do the morning of the race. He became my unofficial running mentor and I was really excited to share this common bond by running with Bruce. Sadly, that first year I finally decided to run was also the first year Bruce couldn’t run, but he still went to the race with me and we still had a beer in the parking lot afterwards. I continued to run each year: this will be my fourth Broad Street Run. Bruce and I still shared the experiences, he would still check on my progress, and he would still help prepare me. Even though Bruce wasn’t on the race course with me he was there waiting for me at the end.
Running Broad Street became really special for me. It was as if I were running for both me and Bruce, keeping his tradition going. It is because of this bond I treasure so much that I just wanted to carry him down Broad Street one last time last September when we lost him to a sudden heart attack. He came home that night after coaching a big win for the high school football team, kissed his wife good night, and prepared to celebrate with the rest of the coaches. He went down stairs, laid on the couch, and waited for his ride. When his friend knocked on the door to pick him up, not ten minutes later, the dogs started barking, but he never answered. While I can’t carry his body down Broad Street with me, he will run every step of the race course with me from now on both in my heart and on my leg (in the form of a tattoo).
So, why do I run Broad Street this year? I run for the challenge. I run to keep the tradition alive. I run for my father-in-law and, now, I will forever run with Bruce.
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Wonderfully written, Mike. I have tears in my eyes as I visualize it all. I have seen the stories on the site, I believe there is a link somewhere on the left side of the page. It's been a while since I read any of them, but I will check back.
ReplyDeleteFor sure, Bruce will be running every step with all of us...and most certainly sitting with his feet up enjoying a beer with us at the end. While we won't see him, I guarantee that we will all feel him right there with us.
This was a great tribute!!!!! Thanks for sharing this with all of us. As I read, I could not hold back the tears.
ReplyDeleteBruce has been watching and laughing at us throughout this whole training process.
Many of our runs consist of telling Bruce stories, so I know he is always with us in spirit. He will be there on the day of the race as well!!!!
Thanks for this, Mike.
ReplyDeleteMike, you know that Bruce was your biggest fan in this and was proud of you for carrying it on.
ReplyDeleteMost probably know that Bruce is the one who got me into running Broad Street in the first place. I started working w/ Bruce in 1989 and discovered that he had run Broad Street that past Spring (before I came to CR). I was just really getting into distance running (4 miles was a long one) and figured if this big guy could do it I could too. The rest is history as they say.
Bruce and I did the race together (loosely) for the next 15 years. We planned together, trained together, ran the same race and drank together post race. We saw the parking lot clear out many times. And while it was only the first one, 1990, that we actually ran together (sub 1:30 I might add), he was the best reason for doing Broad Street. I/we would wait at the finish line a for our 240ish lb., sweat-soaked friend to somewhat lumber over the finish line, limp back to the car, and proceed to pound about 7 beers (and we usually continued later at Dave Bremme's house in the early 90's, Mariann's place in Mayfair in the mid-nineties, and our place to the present. Our steady group early on was Bruce, myself, Dave, and a few others lost in time like Ray Dugan and even danny Bedesem. Mark Klein joined us mid-nineties to the present and is still a constant. We've even sprinkled in a few women along the way to somewhat clean up our act like Joanne and now Fiona the past three years.
And this year there's going to be a mighty contingent of Teamstans runners. And we all know that Bruce will be there with all of us. So remember @ mile seven and eight when you're not feeling exactly great and you're wondering why you ever thought to do this in the first place (every year at the start Bruce always asked that exact question)think about our 240 lb. friend and pick up the pace and ask yourself........ Do I really want to finish behind a 240 lb. 51 year old man? You can finish together.
I want to thank you all for posting your stories - I fell behind a bit in training this week (just too many meetings, not enough time) and reading these stories with tears in my eyes are all I need to get back at it again starting tomorrow.... and I'm amazed that Stans did this race in an hour and a half!! (did I read that right?!) NO WAY I can do that :-)
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