Chasing Old Men

By November, 2002 I'd been running for about 9 months. I'd finished my first 5K in a time that turned out to be respectable for a first 5K. I'd lost around 55-60 pounds, depending on what time I weighed in and what we'd had for dinner. I was feeling pretty darned proud of myself.

Riding that high, I registered for my 2nd 5K, the Waterfront 5K in Homestead. The route ran from Sandcastle Water Park, past Loewe's down to Eat N' Park and back, along the Monongahela River. Along the way it passed the remaining open hearth stacks; all that remains of the era's U.S. Steel plant.  Those interested in the U.S.'s gilded age will recognize this as the site of the 1892 Battle of Homestead, which pitted just under 4,000 steel workers fighting against wage cuts (among other things) and two of the richest and most politically influential men in the world - Carnegie and Frick.

Things didn't turn out well for the strikers. And, on November 16, 2002, they didn't turn out so well for me, either.

I arrived early. Way early. Like, too freaking early, my family in tow on a cool, drizzly day. Not sure why I feel the need to point out the weather conditions, given that we're talking about Pittsburgh, but now ya know.

There may have been a couple of other runners there when we arrived and I got out the car with Caleb to stretch. Denise and Emily, because girls are smarter than boys, stayed in the car where it was warm and dry. Caleb was excited for me, which got me pretty pumped. At that time I was a big believer in stretching, having read an article or something praising its benefits. However, being a believer does not mean that one knows what one is doing, so I randomly went through a series of stretches I'd seen folks doing at the Hazelwood 5K back in October.

A couple minutes in a car pulled up and out hopped a gentleman who looked very much like the man in the cartoon above.  His smile literally swallowed his entire face as he greeted us with a booming 'GOOD morning!' He believed deeply that it was. Nearly made me a convert.

Being the introvert that I am, I meekly returned his greeting and sized up my newly arrived 'competition.' I am to this day not sure why I saw this man as competition - I hadn't before and haven't since seriously thought about competing in a race. But, if this was who I was up against today, why not? Of course, I'll take your trophy. After all, I'm certain I can take a 90 year old Mr. Magoo looking dude who very likely had escaped just moments ago from whatever Alzheimer's care facility in which he currently resided.

If you want, you can Google this race's results and find that I ran a 20:00 5K; 6:27/mile.

You can also Google the existence of life on faraway planets and honest to goodness tales of those who've died, gone to heaven (or hell) and come back to share their experience. These stories hold more truth than me running a 20:00 5K; 6:27/mile.

The race started well. A few last minute words of advice from Caleb about pushing myself to the finish. Smiles from Denise and Emily, who'd come to the start/finish line to wish me well. And off we went.

The pack was not sizable, and I was in the front of it for a full mile and a quarter. A sensation not altogether different from one I'd felt as an elementary schooler back in Akron racing against the big boys flooded me. This may well be my moment after all. Denise would be so proud. Caleb would carry me off on his shoulders. Emily would brag about me to all her friends. I could hardly wait to see them.

The footsteps behind me were now next to me. Then in front of me. And they were legion.

Ok, not legion. But, there were enough. And two of them belonged to my new 'friend.'

As this was an 'out and back' race, he reached the turn before me and was still smiling that God forsaken 'GOOD morning' as he blew by in an whir. I'd like to say I did not curse him.

My finishing time was more like 26:30, well near the back of this small, but clearly much better trained group of runners. My family reported that the winner finished in just under 16:00, followed closely by our friend.

I did not finish strong. I finished feeling like I was dragging concrete blocks on my feet while being stabbed repeatedly in the side with ice picks.

Denise and the kids briefly beckoned me to push, then just shook their heads. For this we got up early on a Saturday? Nice.

There was no celebration. There were no cheers. I was not carried on shoulders. Em would not be bragging on Monday.

I did learn (re-learn?) an important lesson of humility that day. One that I've repeatedly been taught throughout my life.

For instance, counting myself a good writer, I was shocked to pull my 1st paper out of my mailbox at Emmanuel to find a C+ on the front page and only one note - 'work on writing' - on the last.

Shortly before moving to Pittsburgh I got a voicemail from New Hope's previous minister telling me to call. Who are you to tell me to call? What value could there be in listening to you? Turns out quite a bit, actually.

I remember being a 20 something year old youth minister sitting across a booth from an older, more experienced guy from Southeast Christian thinking he was not saying one new thing to me. I knew a lot about ministry. I was good.

Today I realize how little I knew upon entering Seminary, how much my writing needed to improve, how invaluable it would have been to return that phone call and how very, very little I knew about ministry.

I know less now. And, I don't say that sarcastically, or to demean myself. I say that because it's true. The older we get, the more we realize we have to learn. How much more we value other's wisdom and experience. How much less inclined we are to insist on making our own mistakes and trying to do things our way.

As Denise would say - how much more open we are to accepting influence.

That gentleman was right, after all. I had a family who was crazy about me (and perhaps just a little crazy). I was healthier than I'd been in many years. I was exercising on an historic site. And it was only 8:30 a.m. Who knew what the day still held?

It was a GOOD morning.