It turns out I did run a fair amount last week ... five times, 24 miles total. All of it was good running.
Yesterday, our Team in Training crew took off into the cold and light rain. We ran 4.5, with Lymphoma Survivor Jim and I going 6.5. The conversation was good, so it felt like we ran half the distance. You don't feel the cold and rain when you're on a mission.
We typically have a mission moment before the run. Yesterday, Team Captain Sara talked about a four-year-old girl she knows who is battling leukemia. I mentioned Chuck Hendry and his ongoing battle with AML, asking for prayers. Several in our group know Chuck from his run in the most recent Country Music Half.
After the run, I headed to the gym to watch Kathryn's team play basketball and co-coach Will's team, which continues to make great progress. Last week, Will's team lost by two points because of shoddy rebounding and swiss cheese defense. After some good practices, the boys showed up against a team with a good scorer. They shut him down, leading 14-1 at the half and winning 28-17.
Will played his best game in three years, playing as hard as I can recall. After the game, Dori looked like she'd won the lottery. That was great to see, of course, fighting through so much to witness her son's improvement and hard effort.
Will and I talk a fair amount about teamwork and the importance of handling both success and failure. It was good to see him stay humble after the game. How you play and how you react to events are more important than how many points you score.
His composure and his Mom's smile were the highlights of my day.
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2 comments:
Jim, Finally caught up a little on your blog. You perfectly describe what I often feel about my kids and their athletic pursuits. It's rewarding to see them struggle and overcome. Whether it's the mom in me, or the cancer survivor, there's nothing like witnessing their triumphs.
I agree, PJ, and being there when they fall is big, too.
Hope all is well in RI.
Jim
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