Timothy Adair Story

Just Another Runner’s Story.                           March 2024Written by Gale Fischer

Science or Just a Miracle

“Faith is having a positive attitude about what you can do and not worrying at all about what you cannot do.”

—-Joyce Meyer

Everyone reaches certain individual milestones in their running journey that tell their story. It might be a first double-digit mile run, a first marathon, or tackling an ultra distance. Other examples include a sub-twenty-minute 5K, a one-hundred-mile month, or finishing a first year as a runner. This month’s featured runner, Timothy Adair, has hit many common milestones in his young running story, but when running a quarter mile for the first time after surviving a life-threatening virus, he hit as big of a milestone as any runner can hope for. For his mom and dad, Tim and Jody, this short run was a significant sign that their son’s life was back on track. After a tumultuous summer of uncertainty and prayer with Timothy’s body drained of nearly everything it had for survival, his return to life as normal was something unbelievable. Being able to come back to his sport so quickly after much of the life had been squeezed out of his body was difficult to comprehend. It must have been a miracle.

Timothy has participated in other sports including soccer and basketball, but running would rise to the top as his favorite. “I started running when I was ten years old. I would run with my brothers Clay and Caleb who were both cross-country runners.” Timothy is the seventh of ten children that Tim and Jody have been blessed with. Five of his older siblings have been involved with cross-country. Timothy would soon join them. He started running cross country in sixth grade for the Kalamazoo Cougars, a team composed of home-schooled athletes in and around Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Cross-country seemed to suit Timothy. “I like the competition. There is no bench to sit on. Anyone can run. I also like the social part of cross-country.”  Timothy is thirteen years old and will compete for his high school team this coming fall as a freshman. His two-mile middle school PR is 12:35, but he has also competed in road races at the 5K distance with a PR of 20:17 for that distance.

It comes as no surprise that Timothy and his siblings run cross country with both Mom and Dad having enjoyed the sport for years. Tim’s running story began as a cross-country runner for Lakeview High School. He gave up running after high school but would make a return in an extreme fashion. “I started getting serious about running as an adult in 2007 for health reasons. I lost a lot of weight when I started running again. I have always enjoyed being active outside and running has been the perfect activity for this. Eventually, I tried a marathon and liked this.” A marathon would seem like a long enough distance for most runners, but Tim decided to raise the bar. He has completed thirty ultra-marathons to date including four at the one-hundred-mile distance.

Jody also ran cross country in high school, for Marshall High School and has been running since. “I ran cross-country in high school and have continued with it through the years. I was able to run through all my pregnancies. I have run one marathon and several half marathons. I still run but have recently incorporated walk breaks into my running.” Although Tim and Jody’s running goals are very different and they run on their own sometimes, they also run a fair amount of miles together.

Being a part of a family that enjoys running, it would seem obvious that they all would be healthy. Not only do the Adairs stay healthy through moving, but they also try to maintain healthy habits through diet as well. One may adhere to strict healthy practices but there are never any guarantees. As a twelve-year-old boy, Timothy would face a major health scare head-on, showing all of us that although everyone can do their best to control their circumstances, there are always going to be things that we don’t have any control over. Timothy developed a virus in June of 2022 that seemed normal but would quickly escalate to something very serious. “I had developed a stomach virus in the first few weeks of June 2022. I was managing ok but started to feel very weak, on June 15. My legs began to hurt badly. I was playing soccer and couldn’t keep from falling.”

Jody and Tim weren’t sure what to think when they witnessed Timothy falling on the soccer field. Jody thought it may have been growing pains but both Mom and Dad also understand their son’s sense of humor. Tim recalls how he felt when he realized that his son’s condition was serious. “I felt bad as a dad because initially I thought he was just being dramatic.”

Jody’s initial reaction to her son falling on the soccer field was similar to Tim’s. “He likes to be funny so when he started falling we thought maybe he was joking.”  Things would get serious quickly with Timothy experiencing extreme pain. He was taken to Bronson in Kalamazoo and put through a battery of tests including a spinal tap and an MRI. He was diagnosed with Guillan-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare but serious condition caused when the immune system attacks the nerves. Jody describes GBS. “The immune system normally takes care of viruses, but Timothy’s immune system confused his nerves as the virus. It attacked his nerves and spinal cord and ate away at the myelin sheath.”

Both Jody and Tim were quickly educated about the condition their son was faced with. The damage to Timothy’s myelin sheath was paralyzing his body. Tim describes the progression of the disease. “Paralysis typically starts in the toes and moves up throughout the body. Jody and I weren’t sure what to think initially but when Timothy was unable to walk, we began to understand the severity of the situation.”

There are distinct forms of GBS. In the majority of cases, individuals experience lower body weakness as the most severe of symptoms. Timothy’s condition quickly grew beyond this. From Wednesday to Sunday morning, it progressed to total paralysis from the neck down as well as no feeling on half of his face.  Paralysis is a debilitating condition but Timothy was experiencing another element. Jody reflects on the situation. “Even though he was paralyzed he could still feel pain. Seeing my son in extreme pain and not being able to do anything about it was devastating. It got to the point that he couldn’t swallow food. Then it started affecting his organs. By Monday morning his doctors discussed putting him on a ventilator and flying him to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, which was better equipped at treating his condition.”

Mom and Dad both stayed with Timothy while he was being treated at Bronson and later at Helen DeVos and relied on the older kids, church family, and friends to look after everyone and everything at home. Tim reflects on the time at Bronson and Helen DeVos. “We tried to stay optimistic but it was obvious we were in unchartered waters. His blood pressure was going up and down. He eventually started a treatment called plasmapheresis. He did this for two hours every two days for ten days. The treatment was done in an effort to keep his condition from getting worse. He eventually developed pneumonia and really struggled to breathe. By day fifteen, he started rounding the corner.”

Timothy was placed in a terrifying situation but the pain he was experiencing may have distracted him from the fear at times. He reflects on his thoughts. “I was in a great deal of pain. I had a hard time sleeping. I was so hot. My nerves were on fire. My whole body hurt. Doctors tried different painkillers but nothing seemed to relieve the pain. Finally, my doctors tried morphine. It worked but I couldn’t get enough morphine. The morphine also helped me sleep. At one point I thought that I was going to die.”

The first sign that Timothy might be on the road to recovery was when he was able to move his thumb. He still couldn’t breathe on his own and his medical team wanted to put a trachea in him. Tim and Jody didn’t want this and their prayers were answered when he began breathing on his own the day before the procedure for the trachea was to take place. His recovery began to progress and he was given discharge orders on July 6 after being in the PICU for nineteen days. In a three-week period of time, Timothy had gone from being a normally healthy boy to a regression of paralysis to the road of full recovery. After he was released from Helen DeVos he was transferred to Mary Free Bed for rehab.

When Timothy made the transition from Helen DeVos to Mary Free Bed, Tim and Jody were able to breathe a sigh of relief. Things were looking up but they were still in a state of limbo. Tim hadn’t been able to work and both Mom and Dad were away from the rest of their children. On top of this they weren’t able to enjoy running, the activity that undoubtedly brought balance to their lives as parents of ten children. Things were still not back to normal but being out of the hospital and at Mary Free Bed was the most encouragement they had received since the entire ordeal began. It seemed as if their prayers were being answered. They would take shifts with Jody staying in Grand Rapids for a few days and Tim holding down the fort at home with the rest of the kids and then switching roles. Jody describes the pride and admiration she felt as she watched her son fight to regain normalcy in his life. “He worked so hard in his therapies. He had such an uphill battle.” Tim and Timothy’s therapists felt the same as Jody. Everyone was amazed at his work ethic, determination, and how quickly he was recovering. Normally, those with GBS have a very slow recovery time. Timothy was able to go home on July 21 and continued outpatient therapy for another six weeks.

What seemed like despair with thoughts of grief and the unknown soon turned into hope, praise, and gratitude with a full recovery in just a few months after it seemed that life would never be the same. Jody talks about the impact that the entire experience had on her. “I am amazed by the support of the community. Thousands of people prayed for him, many of whom I didn’t know. I was inspired by Timothy’s perseverance. By the end of September, he ran his first two-mile race since his diagnosis, a confirmation that he had fully recovered. Many of the moms were crying.” Timothy’s return to running was a blessing for his entire cross-country family.

Although Tim and Jody have always been spiritual, they have never had to lean on others for anything. In trying to deal with what Timothy was going through it became obvious that they couldn’t do it alone. They learned that being vulnerable is part of life and that leaning on others and a higher power is sometimes necessary. Tim describes how his outlook on life changed. “For me personally, the entire experience has taught me the importance of the community. We couldn’t have survived this ourselves. It humbled us. It taught me to trust God no matter how bad things get. Eventually, I prepared myself to trust in whatever the outcome might be. It was a very spiritual experience and I felt I was not in control. I was impressed by how Timothy was able to stay positive.” 

Tim is thankful for the support from so many. He and Jody were faced with a financial hit due to Tim not being able to work. A friend set up a GoFundMe page for the family which helped immensely. Prior to this, Tim would not have wanted help from others but now he realizes that sometimes this is necessary.

What Timothy has gone through seems unfair but his perspective on the entire situation is impressive. “What I have been through shows how God really takes care of us. It’s amazing how other people have been there for us. It’s been a blessing. I changed my perspective on others who struggle. It helped me learn how to show empathy.” Being able to return to running and to being with his teammates is something that Timothy has embraced. “I was able to join my team for practice in August just a few months after being paralyzed from the neck down. I had to build back up with my running. Physically and mentally I am back to normal. I always enjoyed running. I wanted to make it to be like nothing ever happened when I came back. Being back with the team has been great.”

The experience that the Adair family has been through is a great illustration that there are no guarantees in life. Jody believes that leading a healthy lifestyle with diet, running, and being physically active has had a positive impact on Timothy’s full recovery. I would agree with her. Although we all lack total control of what happens in our lives, doing what we can to keep our lives positive is always important. I have to believe that Jody’s, Tim’s, and Timothy’s mentality as runners to never give up and remain positive through highs and lows was a factor in Timothy's returning to life as normal. 

             

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.

Like Father Like Son

Just Another Runner’s Perspective                                                                                                     December 2017                                                                                                                                             By Gale Fischer

 

Like Father Like Son

"Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice."      ----Charles Kettering

Thanksgiving Day 2017: An overcast sky received a group of three hundred-plus runners and walkers as we awaited the signal that would announce the start of our city's annual turkey trot. I stood next to my fifteen-year-old son, Logan, anticipating what I presumed would be a relaxed three-mile run for both of us together, stride by stride. Temperatures were in the low thirties with a light mist. My legs were shaking and my teeth chattering. I was more than ready to start running in hopes that the movement would generate some much-needed warmth for my body. 

 I turned to look at Logan. "Could you hold my phone so that I can start my watch when the race begins?" I asked him. "Sure," he replied. I handed my phone to Logan and seconds later we were off. For one brief moment, I glanced down at my watch, pushed the start button then looked back up.  Expecting Logan to still be at my side, I was caught off guard when I realized that he had a good ten-yard head start on me. He took off like a rocket. "This is not a sprint," I uttered to myself. "What does he think he is doing?" l focused on the blue sweatshirt that Logan was wearing and stepped off at a leisurely pace. "He will soon realize that he had better scale back the pace if he wants to continue without gasping for air," I assured myself.

 As Logan made the first turn a little more than a half mile later, his lead over me had grown to almost thirty seconds. I decided to scrap the easy jog and intensify my effort. I was confident that I would catch Logan by the one-mile mark and that by this time his sprint would surely be reduced to a slow jog, for the last two miles. As we approached the one-mile mark Logan's lead did not grow but it didn't shrink either. I continued to labor in an effort to decrease the distance separating the two of us, thinking that at any moment his tired body would be forced to shift into a lower gear. But as I ran by the mile two mark I let go of any hopes of my son and I finishing side by side. 

 Watching Logan compete in whatever sport he chose to participate in over the last four years, it had become obvious to my wife and me that he was the athlete of our family. He excelled as a runner, participating in cross country as a sixth grader and track in the spring of his seventh-grade year. His mother and I had enjoyed watching Logan showcase his athleticism and drive as an athlete for five years as a football player and on the hardwood. Last spring Logan decided he wanted to give lacrosse a try. Although he had no experience as a lacrosse player and zero knowledge about the rules and skills needed to play this sport, he began to round into form midway through the season, looking as if he had played for three or four years. As a long-time runner and cross country coach, there had always been a part of me that wished for Logan to choose track or cross country but the pride and joy that I had experienced the last five years watching him play other sports had long since replaced this desire to have him follow in my footsteps as a runner. Through the years, Logan had worked hard, exceeded, and without a doubt enjoyed all sports that he had participated in. More importantly, he had established special bonds and friendships as a result of the time spent as a member of each team that he had been a member of.

 As Thanksgiving Day 2017 approached, my wife and daughter had made plans to participate in the annual turkey trot. My daughter, Torey, and I had run it together for the past two years with my wife Kathy joining us last year as a walker. This year I thought it would be nice for the whole family to be a part of the experience. Logan wasn't thrilled with the idea when I first brought it up. He made it clear that he would rather sleep in.  Ultimately, however, I decided that the 2017 Turkey Trot would be an event for the whole family to be a part of.

 After signing in at the YMCA thirty minutes before the race, Logan expressed concern that he would have to run alone. His sister had more experience as a distance runner and Logan was aware of our plans to treat this as a fun run and not a race. Logan desired to test the waters a bit. He began probing, trying to get a sense of my plans for the run. He finally asked me to run the race with him. We quickly re-established our race plans. It seemed that Logan and I would be running together. I anticipated a quicker speed than what I had planned for but still assumed the effort would not leave me gasping for air. Although a great athlete, Logan had not raced or for that matter run a distance of this length for more than two years. I assumed that the old man would have to slow down a bit for him. I guess I didn't take into account the physical advantage of Logan's slender six-foot frame and the natural ability he possessed thanks to his long, young legs.

 A wave of mixed emotions swirled inside of me as I traversed the streets of downtown Battle Creek. Having covered thousands of miles over the years through these neighborhoods, the familiarity was uncanny. Although each stride created a sense of déjà, the experience of this three-mile run was anything but commonplace. Although Logan had shown promise a few years earlier as a runner, he had yet to out-pace me as a distance runner. Up until this Thanksgiving morning, I had been the king of runners in my family. My young teenage son would lead me into yet another transition in my life as a runner and a father.

A tiny chink had been chipped into my competitive armor when I first realized that this would be Logan's day today but that chink would not spoil the day. The competitive juices still trickled inside of me with a desire to outlast Logan for three miles, but as a father of a teenage son, there was also a big part of me that overflowed with pride as I handed off this metaphorical baton.

As I crossed the finish line some thirty seconds behind Logan, he sat on the curb, exhausted from the effort that he had just put forth.  We exchanged high fives as both of us relished in our accomplishment with weary bodies. I suppose our experience was one that is a normal rite of passage for many fathers and sons who share a passion for athletics. An aging dad wants to hold on to his athletic prowess as long as possible but the sense of pride when his own flesh and blood becomes the more accomplished athlete is as thrilling as any personal accomplishment that comes with competition.

The following morning, Logan was wondering if my legs were as sore as his. Although I did not feel the physical discomfort that he was feeling, I assured him that I had experienced this same soreness plenty of times during my tenure as a runner.

I'm sure Logan was happy with his performance but he has since claimed that he will never run three miles again. I am hoping for a rematch for Thanksgiving of 2018. Although he will probably not be running any distances of length between now and then, I'm sure he will provide a challenge for me.

KEEP RUNNING!!

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

 

Ahh!

Just Another Runner’s Perspective

February 2024

Written by Gale Fischer

Ahh!

“Running is about finding your own inner peace, and so is a life well lived.”

—Dean Karnazes

2/15/2024: I turned left on Boyer Drive and continued east down Crosby. I was now in the final stretch of my afternoon run with less than a mile to go. The sun was shining bright, a refreshing sight on this blustery winter afternoon. The stiff wind was at my back and although speed didn't necessarily concern me for this run, I was able to open up the pace a bit. Soon I would reach my destination and complete my longest run in more than two months, of six and a half miles. Normally this would be a half mile shy of my typical weekday run, but for today this distance felt like a major milestone. It was the culmination of the last two weeks and a series of runs with hopes of finding my groove again as a runner. 

Going back to the first week in December my running had been sporadic at best with injury forcing me to the sideline. I would attempt a run once a week, to test my progress, only to wait it out longer. Finally, I decided to shut it down completely for three weeks. Fortunately, the pain I was experiencing wasn’t present in other activities. During the interim, I was able to swim, ride a spin bike, and use an elliptical with minimal discomfort. Although these activities don’t provide the same stimulus that I experience while running, they were still appreciated. 

The benefits of movement have been well documented through the years. Physical activity of any kind can boost cardiovascular health, decrease the chance of arthritis, and keep one’s blood pressure and cholesterol in check. Perhaps just as important as any of these physical health effects is the impact of the endorphins created from moving. These endorphins can boost mood and treat depression. It can help one’s mental and emotional state as well as any pill. This endorphin boost from the spin bike, the pool, and the elliptical, as I waited to return to running, was part of what kept my sanity in check.

For many die-hard runners, time away from the sport can create a source of major frustration. It becomes an activity that is a mental challenge to go without. The joy that our sport can bring to us is undeniable. The complete opposite can occur for some when forced to go without. Having to take time off from running can dish out a mixture of feelings, including sadness, despair, anger, and irritability. This is why it is so important for those who are passionate about running to find an alternative to lean on when running is unavailable for whatever reason. 

As a seasoned runner, I have experienced my share of unwanted layoffs from my sport over the last two decades. Although these periods of time are always unwanted, I have always felt fortunate to find other options to fill the void. Obviously, other forms of physical activity are something I go to to provide the mental boost that is missing when not running but also my writing is something that I have learned to use to get me through. 

As beneficial as writing and other forms of physical activity have been throughout the last three months, my methodical return to a running routine over the last few weeks has provided a huge sense of relief for me. Running is for sure a mood booster, but the array of emotions that running can provide is truly amazing. It can provide joy, it can make one giddy with excitement, it can erase sadness and it can calm the soul. 

I am grateful to be getting back to my routine. I have implemented a gradual approach starting with three miles at a time every other day to bumping up my distance a half mile with each run and eventually getting out four or five times a week. The limited mileage would typically not be my preference but the familiar feelings that come from a run are enough to feed my running appetite right now. It feels that all is right in the world again.

Much of my running through the years has revolved around getting in the miles with others. Running offers a varied emotional impact between social and solo running. The time of thought and reflection is always a common theme when running alone. This can still occur when running with others but not at the same level when running in isolation. On the other end of the emotional array, a higher level of excitement can occur when sharing miles with others compared to flying solo. 

It seems that with the limitation of my running since the beginning of December, the miles spent with others have been non-existent. I have made a conscious decision to use this time to try to figure out my running routine on my own. The gradual build-up of distance for each run and the number of runs each week has provided emotional support different from what I have been accustomed to. I have not experienced the runner’s high during this time. The thrill of hitting a goal pace has been non-existent. The boost in confidence that comes from going out on a Saturday morning and putting in twenty miles for more than three hours has had to wait. The much-appreciated distraction of getting through some of the more physically uncomfortable patches of a run that is created from social running has been put on the back burner. Although I miss all of these running feelings and am looking forward to experiencing them again, soon, what I have been grateful for is the peaceful feeling that the last few weeks of running have provided. Each and every mile lately has come with a calming comfortable presence that has been a refuge for those runs done after the work day, while providing a simple tranquility for early morning runs to start the day. The sense of relief to be able to do what I like doing best has been refreshing. 

All who enjoy a running lifestyle can appreciate the physical health benefits that come from our sport but for most, these bi-products are not the push for each mile logged. The array of emotions that are experienced from running is what most crave. For a passionate runner, there really are no other activities that offer these feelings at the same level as running but it is important to find a backup activity to tide the storm when running is not available for whatever reason. 

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Shining Bright Under Friday Night Lights

Just Another Runner’s Perspective October 2023 Written by Gale Fischer

Shining Bright Under Friday Night Lights

“Cross Country is a sport where the pain of the race quickly turns to the joy of the finish.”

10/6/2023: Light rain fell from the clouds above Harper Creek’s football stadium with a thermometer reading of fifty-five degrees. Harper Creek football fans and supporters from cross-town rival Pennfield were making their way to the bleachers with kickoff an hour away. Panther and Beaver football players were going through their pre-game warm-up on the turf with their focus on the task at hand. The weather was almost perfect for football but football wasn’t the only show tonight. Cross-country runners from both schools would share the spotlight tonight with their gridiron classmates.

More than two decades prior I had read a story in Runner’s World Magazine, about a unique event that two schools in upstate New York had participated in. Runners from both schools’ cross country teams competed in a duel meet that started and finished inside the stadium just before the kickoff of the game between the two school’s football teams. The format of this unique cross-country race appealed to me and seemed like a great way to promote the sport while giving runners a little more spectator support for at least one race. 

Ten years later when I signed on to help out with Pennfield’s cross-country team, I mentioned the unique race that I had read about in Runner’s World to head coach, Rick McKire. A year later Harper Creek and Pennfield joined a new conference, the Interstate 8, and would now be competing against each other in athletic competitions each year. It seemed obvious that this could be an opportunity for the two in-city rivals to give their cross-country teams a chance to compete each year in a duel meet as part of Friday night football festivities. Harper Creek was open to the idea and the first Friday night race took place in 2015. The initial race was everything that I had imagined it would be. It instantly became the favorite race for many of the athletes from both schools. The tradition would be put on hold in 2020 when COVID hit. 

The Friday Night Lights race finally made its return with the 2023 Pennfield/Harper Creek football game, giving the seniors from both schools an opportunity for one Friday night race.  Although I was no longer involved with this event as a coach I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go and watch some local high school runners showcase their talents in the spotlight. The scene as I arrived was surreal and energetic. The gun sounded at 6:15, forty-five minutes before kickoff. Football fans sat in the bleachers while parents of the runners ran from the stadium across campus to watch their sons and daughters. Athletes from each school’s football team went through pregame routines on the field and classic rock from the seventies and eighties could be heard from the stadium speakers throughout Harper Creek’s campus. In the distance, the home school’s marching band added to the frenzy as they made the procession from the high school to the stadium with the echo of drumsticks tapping on snare drums. 

Runners started with a partial loop around the track before exiting the stadium and running on the grass covering the practice fields. Eventually, the course would loop through a wooded trail on the south side of campus. Fifteen minutes after the race began the leaders entered the stadium, sprinting around the track past the visitor side bleachers before finishing in front of the home crowd. 

All the elements present in the minutes leading up to a Friday night high school football game were there. Spectators were seated in bleachers on both sides of the field. Cheerleaders and marching band members lined the edge of the track. Football players had returned from the locker rooms where their coaches motivated them with pregame speeches, waiting on the sidelines for their time to compete. Runners with looks of grit and determination decorating their faces gave their all for the final stretch, adding to the electricity and providing an extra element to the normal Friday night tradition.

As a runner watching these athletes race across the finish line, I could feel the energy in the air. Harper Creek junior Dominic Lowrie crossed the finish line first with a time of 16:24, with senior teammate Brian O’Dell coming in twenty seconds later. Harper Creek senior Emma Monroe held off Pennfield sophomore Payton Roades as the first girl with finish times for each of 20:05 and 20:09. Many of the runners in the lead pack waited at the finish, cheering for each of their teammates. 

As impressive as the times were for Dominic and Brian and as exciting as the race to the finish played out for Emma and Payton, the most thrilling moment for me came from Pennfield junior Hunter Jenney. Hunter’s excitement and enthusiasm after crossing the finish line were off the charts. He dished out words of excitement, high fives, and hugs to his teammates.  It was obvious from his reaction that he had accomplished something very special. After talking to Hunter’s mom a few moments later I understood why he was so excited. He had finally broken the twenty-minute barrier with a finish time of 19:49, eclipsing his previous PR by fifty-six seconds. He created a memory that will surely be with him for years to come. His mom will also savor this memory as demonstrated by the same level of excitement as her son. It was a moving moment to witness.

How fitting that Hunter reached his goal for this particular race. I’m sure his preparation and hard work put him in a position to PR but perhaps the electricity generated from this unique race gave him the extra nudge to push a little further beyond the level of physical discomfort experienced in previous races. Maybe it was just his day to shine.

As is common in all sports and many aspects of life, setting and working to accomplish goals is a driving force in helping individuals remain focused while continuing to work hard. In running, measuring the progress in achieving goals is often easy. The clock doesn’t lie. Hunter’s goal of running a sub-twenty time for a distance of 3.1 miles is unique to him. In my mind going after a goal that is attainable but also challenging on an individual level is always impressive. I like to define success as not necessarily achieving a goal but having the desire, focus, and work ethic to try to make it happen. Although success is not always a contingency of achieving a goal, I suppose that the reward is greater when the goal is achieved. 

Hunter’s display of emotion is a great example of the impact that running and participation in athletics can have. Seeing other runners reach a goal is always exciting for me. Witnessing this moment for Hunter as part of this unique event under Friday night lights was magical. I hope that there will be memories created for Pennfield and Harper Creek runners for years to come under Friday Night Lights.

Until next time, this has been just another runner’s perspective.

Rhonda Smart Story

Just Another Runner’s Story                                                                                                                   January 2017                                                                                                                    Written By Gale Fischer 

Run, Bike, and Swim 

"Your gym membership is cheaper than therapy" 

There are many examples of injuries in sports related to overuse of a particular set of muscles. As parents and in the world of high school athletics, we encourage our youth to participate in multiple sports.  First and foremost the concept of a student-athlete is to expose children and teens to a variety of sports, immersing them in an abundance of experiences that come with athletics.  A byproduct of this is when individuals are not locked into a limited set of movements centered around one sport, they can reduce their risk of overuse injury.  This is true in particular for our youth whose muscular and skeletal systems are still growing and developing but it can also serve us well as adults.  As runners, we are involved in a sport with one of the most limited repertoires of muscle movement.  It can benefit us, especially as we get older,  to implement cross-training into our exercise regimen to keep us stronger as runners and avoid time off on the roads and trails.  This month's featured runner, Rhonda Smart, has adopted this philosophy into her own routine.   

When Rhonda's running story first began a few years ago, she was sidelined almost immediately with her first bucket list item of running a 5K race being put on hold. "I began in 2012 when we had our first GOTR team at the elementary where I teach. I signed on as a coach and started fresh as a runner like the girls."  

Rhonda's newfound hobby would soon be put on hold, however. "Four weeks before the race I developed plantar fasciitis and I had to stop running for about 6 months. I probably started with too many miles too soon and no stretching. I iced, stretched, and rested.  I did attempt some exercise with an elliptical trainer and a stationary bike but it was too boring. I was a bit smarter when I started up again and have not had any problems since.  I have been back at it for three years, having completed five half-marathons and several 5 and 10K races." 

Rhonda's indoctrination into running began as a way to support and mentor the young girls at the school she was teaching at, but as time went on she found that the sport offered many important attributes for herself as an individual, benefits of our sport which most of us relate to. "I like the time that I get to myself.  I like that I don't have to think about anything.  I can just clear my mind.  Sometimes I can push my mental and physical limits and other times I can just enjoy the quiet."  Rhonda's thoughts do sum up what we can get out of our sport at any time.  There are times when as runners we can push the envelope and stretch our physical and mental mindset, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone.  On the other hand, we can take it easy and just enjoy the calming input created by the interaction of the physical stimulus from our own body with the sensory input of being outdoors.  Like Rhonda, we all have that choice each day of what we want our run to do for us. 

Some of us, find ourselves breaking through that initial mental barrier each time that we lace up our shoes and prepare to go for a run. After more than five years as a runner, Rhonda still finds herself struggling with that mental barrier each day. "It's always hard no matter how good I get or how much I run.  Some of it is mental.  I never said to myself before" Oh good I get to go out for a run," but I always feel good by the time I am finished with the run." 

I can relate to Rhonda's line of thought as it pertains to this mental stumbling block.  I crave almost every daily run.  I look forward to it and can't wait for the end of the workday so I can run.  As much as I look forward to this, the feelings associated with completing the run and being finished are just as much of an emotional high as the feelings that I get before and during the run.   

As much as Rhonda enjoys what running can offer her as an individual, she also appreciates the social aspect of her sport. "I have had several running mentors including co-workers and individuals who belong to Moms Run this Town.  The list includes Christie Valenzuela, Nicole Elder, Shayne Elwell, and Stacey Newton.  When I trained for my first half marathon with a time goal I didn't know that I could have completed it without the support of these women on some of my training runs.” This group of female runners that Rhonda has learned from are fine examples of what the latest running revolution has done for our society.  In recent years there has been an influx of females to our sport.  Running has the potential to strengthen the qualities of these lady runners making them not only great contributors to our society but also great role models for their own children. 

Rhonda's greatest inspiration as a runner comes from her uncle who struggled with obesity as a child. "My uncle Rex was overweight as a kid.  When he was in college he began running to stay physically fit.  It helped him to handle stress.  My grandfather, Rex's dad, died from complications with heart issues he dealt with much of his life, so Rex has used running to stay healthy.  He is sixty-six and still runs."  Rhonda's most memorable moment as a runner came a few years back when running her third half marathon in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Her uncle Rex was there and she was able to run half of the race with him. 

Rhonda encourages all runners but especially those new to the sport to find others to share the journey with. "The first thing I would recommend would be to find a running group.  I enjoy running by myself but enjoy running with others more.  Runners will encourage you, push you, and help you keep going when you feel you can't go anymore." 

It goes without being said that Rhonda's goal for running is to continue running without injury but she has goals that go beyond this. "My short-term goals include finishing my mileage goals for the year.  I am on a team with Shayne and Christine to run 2016 miles for 2016.  I have seven weeks to go with 87 miles remaining to meet my goal.  My long-term goals include running in the Indianapolis Mini Marathon and completing halves in other states." 

Although Rhonda didn't see the connection between cross-training and staying healthy after her first injury just weeks into her running journey she has come to realize the importance of doing more than just running. "I really started cross-training last year.  I don't want running to be the only form of exercise that I do. I think that the cross-training keeps me in better shape for running.  I kayak, swim,  and do exercise videos with co-workers." 

As individuals, when we begin our running journey, we can't google a map to give us a glimpse of where it might lead us.  Rhonda's story began with her being a mentor for young girls through Girls on the Run.  Through the process, Rhonda has found mentorship for herself with a group of strong women guiding her along the way.  She has learned much from our sport but one important lesson that will serve her well is that although running may be the sport she is most passionate about, participating in other sports can only enhance the experiences that running can provide for her. 

Everyone has a story.  Stay tuned next month for another runner’s story.