It was a cool fall day. I had finished my run and was walking to the water fountain in Arrigo Park. The walk felt good, easing the ache of the last quarter-mile. There’s a short loop in the park that’s usually occupied by retired walkers, moms with strollers and dogs running for frisbees. As I came around the corner I saw an elderly gentleman running on the sidewalk around the park. Slow but steady. I was immediately impressed.
Consistency has always been a struggle for me. Immediate enthusiasm for the latest hobby wears away as soon as I hit that first wall. But here is a man who has stuck through it and persevered. His muscles have atrophied. Bones have gotten weaker. But his mind is determined! I will fix this image in my mind the next time I don’t want to get up to run. He got close and then passed me.
It was a twenty something in a white hat.
Well then.