Streaking

 
In the early 70’s college campuses were a frequent spawning ground not only for political protests but also for crazy fads.   Mix political and social unrest (Vietnam War, draft, racial inequality, military on campuses), with the creativity of youth and the freedom of college life, and VOILA…you have “Streaking”.   Streaking (running naked through athletic events, protests, etc.), became a popular, lighthearted way to draw attention to the issue of the day while displaying sexual liberation.   Since there was no internet or cell phones at the time, I feel comfortable saying there is no record that I ever participated in the activity.

 Today there is a new form of streaking that has become popular…Running Streaks.  By definition, a running streak is the number of days in a row a person has run at least one mile.   And No, there is no requirement that it be naked (although no rule that it can’t be..feel free to fly your freak flag).  There are even national and international organizations that track streaks for men and women.   I knew a few runners who ran every day for a year or two, but I was surprised to learn there are people with streaks of 30, 40 and even 50 years long.  I can’t imagine fifty years (19,000+ days in a row) without life ever getting in the way once.  The only thing I’ve done that long is breathing.  Thank goodness that streak continues.

 I’ve never been interested in running streaks.  Too many other things are more important, and I think the pressure of needing to run every day would squeeze the joy out of running.  This will be our 19^th year of raising funds to help children fighting Pediatric Cancer.  That’s the streak I care about.

 The children we support have their own streaks, and many are not good ones.  Number of days/month/years fighting cancer, days you hurt or feel sick, days you can’t play with friends, days you watched your mom and dad cry, and days you are scared you are going to die.   Help in the Nick of Time can’t make all these bad days go away but we can help a family get through them and start a new streak.  The days since you beat cancer, the days in a row you’ve seen your parents smile, the number of days since you thought about cancer.  With your help, this is what Help in the Nick of Time does.

 

In their Shoes

Like most people, I’ve been caught up in the Olympics fever this week.  Normally, to save time, I pick a few sports I like to binge and catch the highlights on others, but this year I found myself watching a lot more (I even watched some Curling and Ice Dancing).  Clearly, I have too much free time. 

For many of the athletes, the path to the games was over a decade long, often battling physical injuries and personal tragedies along the way.  Once there, all their effort, time and sacrifices come down to one contest, a make or break to achieve their Olympic goal.  I can’t image the pressure of that competition, the overwhelming joy of beating their Olympic goal or the crushing despair of failing to perform to their own expectations. 

A couple of years ago I set a goal of running one more Boston Marathon before Parkinson’s stole my ability to do it.   I had run Boston at least once in every decade since my 20’s and this would be a chance to sneak one in in my 70’s.  For two years I trained daily, watched my diet (except for ice cream), and planned out the logistics for the race (hotels, getting an official entry number, etc.).   A little over 2 months before the race, kidney problems and a bout of sepsis robbed me of my shot.   I remember the overwhelming feeling of disappointment.  I know some people will say “get over it, it’s just a race”, and I have (offering them a polite middle finger). But just like the Olympic athlete, win or lose, we can’t understand, really understand, what it’s like unless we’ve been there.

That’s true for families of children with cancer as well.  All the stories I can give of the challenges the families face, the months and years of worries and bills and pain and disappointments pale before the reality of living it.  It’s also true that the joy and relief of successful results or unexpected support when you really need it most is beyond words.   That’s what Help in the Nick of Time tries to do., to be there to help when it’s needed most.

As for my running, I’m still slogging away (literally slogging this winter).  It may not be the Boston Marathon, but I will be out chasing my Marathon Challenge goal to support Help in the Nick of Time.

 

 

The "Why" Question

 

Ever notice that we use "Why" more often than any other word when asking a question?   We could use when, or who, or what but no….it’s more often Why.   I have a young grandson who has turned asking Why into an artform.   Every Why answer becomes the raw material for a new Why question.

 

Answering Why questions can be challenging.  Sometimes the answers are too painful to even express.  Sometimes the answer just leads to more questions.  And sometimes a question has no good answer.  I have a bunch of those for God when I meet him.

 

I often get the Why question about my running.   Normally the easiest answer is just turning it around and asking, “Why don’t you?”.   Unsatisfied with my non-answer, over time the question has become more qualified….”Why do you run so far?  Why do you run outside in this cold weather?  Why do you run at your age? “

 

I thought about it the other day (during a run of course) and came up with a lot of answers but these were the top 3:

-         I feel better after I run than before and I seldom feel as good on days I don’t run.  Throughout my life it has been a bell weather  for my health.

-         It is something I can do that allows me to help others through Help in the Nick of Time.

-         It creates shared experiences with my family.

So the short answer is running allows me to feel good, spend time with my family and help others.   Who can knock that?

 

.

When the Spirit MOVES You

 

I recently moved, again.  The 4^th time in 11 years.  No, I don’t have a sadistic streak, I get no pleasure from the stress of packing up years of accumulated cruft, selling a house, buying a house, and moving to a new area where I have to establish new friends and doctors.    So it’s not that I enjoy moving, my life just seems to have taken a path that makes me a bit of a nomad.  Despite the challenges, each move has brought new joys, friends, and experiences, and brought me closer to my children and grandchildren. 

 

My running has mirrored that path, each move bringing me new experiences and friends.   Even more important to me, it has allowed shared experiences with my family.  This morning for instance I went for a run with my twin grandsons.  They are now in high school and are accomplished runners but they were kind enough to slow down to match my “old person pace”….a bit of a mercy run.  Over the course of more than an hour they listened patiently to my stories of the old days of my running and the Boston Marathon.    As most of us older people know, reminiscing about the old days is just what we do.  It was a shared experience that I wouldn’t have had without moving to be close to them.  It makes all the pain of moving worthwhile.

 

As we embark on another year of Marathon Challenge to help children with cancer and their families, I remind myself that much like a move, the benefits far exceed the work.