The Coach

It looks like Lewis is getting ready to go for a run.

Among all of the other things he is and does, Bernie is also sort of a coach for me. He is very supportive of my running.  He has purchased new running shoes for me on ebay (they are new but usually one model older than what is currently being sold, and they are 1/2 the price). He used to watch my friends' kids so that my friends could run with me.  If I am grumpy or upset about something, he'll encourge me to lace up my shoes and head out the door.  He even sometimes travels to races with me. 

On September 30th, I ran the Wine Glass 1/2 Marathon in Corning, NY with my stepmother.  I had been traveling almost the entire week leading up the race.  I landed back in Hartford around 11:30pm on 9/28. After sleeping for a few hours, we packed and got started on the 6+ hour drive. I picked a hotel that was capable of taking dogs not knowing whether we would bring Jenny, so we were a little farther from the starting line that we would have liked to have be. The race started at 8am.  I wasn't able to pick up my packet the day before because the expo closed before we arrived. This meant that we all had to be up and ready to leave the hotel by 6:30am in order for me to comfortably be at the race on time. 

Bernie, with his coffee, waiting for the race to start:

After the race began, they went and had breakfast at Dennys with my Dad. They came outside the restaurant to cheer me on as I passed by.  Every few mile markers, I would take a picure and send it to Bernie so he could keep track of my progress.

This was Vivi at the race.  She has grown so much since then and it hasn't even been three months.

Jack is cheering on some runners.  I love the enthusiasm!

I did better than I had hoped I would. I pushed myself hard knowing I had brought my family all that way.  I pushed myself harder knowing I had given Bernie my time goal, and I really wanted to show him I could beat that time.

Bernie is not just my coach.  He coached Nick's recreational baseball leagues for many years and he also helps coach a co-ed adult softball team. He takes great pride in the accomplishments of the team and improvements in individual players. It is not always an easy job, but it is one that he does well.