Yesterday I ran with Wayne Parfitt. I was already a seasoned runner when I met Wayne, who was a high school senior in 1983. A stellar track and cross country competitor, he decided to take a year off before resuming his post-high school education, and during that year he planned on running marathons.
Happy to have a long distance training partner, we banged out 80-90 mile weeks, and in November of that year he ran the Philadelphia Marathon. His amazing time of 2:39:39 earned him a the ranking of the fastest marathon runner in the country for the 18 and under age group, according to Running Times Magazine. We went on to run the 1984 Boston Marathon, where he dropped his time into the low 2:30s.
Currently, Wayne resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Last fall, after a 25-year hiatus, he came back to visit his hometown and we went out for a 5-mile training run. It was as though a 'pause' button was lifted. We hit the 'play' button and picked up where we left off, some 25 years ago.
Yesterday, Wayne came to Pottsville for another visit. We went out for another 5-mile run, and the 'play' button was hit again.
Today, my oldest continuous running training partner, and dear friend, Brian Tonitis, and I ran 7 miles together. This is the fifth decade of our getting together for training runs. For the past three years, Brian's son, Matt, now a Pennsylvania State Trooper, and I, logged thousands of miles, running both the Philadelphia and Boston Marathons. Brian, a 2:39 marathoner, went on to become an excellent triathlete. Brian once described our training together as "two guys sitting at a bar shooting the bull," except we're doing it in a pretty healthy way.
On Saturday, I'll pack up my gear and head to the mountains of southern Pennsylvania to join a million other hunters who'll flock to the Pennsylvania woods for the beginning of deer season. I'll be the guest of John Ausherman, a running friend who lives 100 miles to south. Bitter adversaries in the early 80s, John, his wife, Sue, and my family have become the best of friends.
John and I had many epic running battles in the 1980s, and both own personal best marathon times in the low 2:20s. So much more than that, however, is the bond between our families. John's son, Tommy, taught my son, Logan, how to hunt. We were happy to be a part of John's daughter, Lindsay's wedding, and he and Sue will be a part of our daughter Kelly's in May. Our families get together several times a year. All because of running. These great friends, as well as others, are featured in the chapter, "Cast of Characters," in my book, "Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice for Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes." www.runningshortsbook.com.
On Saturday, December 21, a crowd of 30 runners will meet at my house for our annual "Christmas Run," a 3-mile jaunt through the streets of Pottsville. Runners from their teens to their 60s, all connected by this unique bond we all share will do what we love to do. We'll laugh, be irreverent to one another, talk about the past and the future, share our injuries, triumphs and tragedies, and celebrate the past year, with hopes for a better 2014.
This is a great sport, where friendships last a lifetime
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