The Family that Runs Together, Stays Together

San Francisco Marathon 2005

I used to drag everybody in my training runs and races.  My wife wasn't too hard to persuade because she wanted to stay fit.  All she needed was someone to motivate her.  But my only son was difficult because he'd rather do something else with his friends.  However, I was successful on many occasions to take him along by making it interesting for him.  We'd run first around the neighborhood, then run to the nearest restaurant.  Or I'd do a running log for him and we'd agree on a reward when he's completed his mileage.  But this was a few years ago.  In this post, you'll find a family photo of us in the San Francisco Marathon in July 2005.  My wife and son completed the Progressive Marathon while I did the full Marathon.  It's one of my favorite pictures displayed in our study room at home.  It reminds me of how we enjoyed running together and how we incorporated running into our family fun time.  Unfortunately, life has its twists and turns.  My wife's cancer came back in 2006 and spread throughout her body.  We were able to do one more run together in June of that year.  But the cancer was very aggressive and the chemotherapy treatments very strong that she is unable to run with my son and I anymore.  However, she does her best in so many ways to still support my son and I in our running.  My son is older now and he has taken running as one of his favorite sports.  He competes in cross country and track and field and joins road races whenever he can.  He has won a lot of medals in all his events.

We have also developed great friendships with several "running" families.  The Vornhagens who we ran a marathon together in Sacramento; the Ramirez's two marathons in San Francisco and Sacramento, and also other families who we've done some running workouts together, like the Purcells, the Kwasny's, and the Chavez's.

It's fitting to talk about and reflect on how running keeps families together today on the Feast of the Holy Family.  Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a family, serves as a holy inspiration to all families to stay together and grow in love forever.  The Holy Family may not be known for running as a sport, but they did have to run away from Bethlehem back to Egypt to escape persecution from Herod who ordered all boys 2 years and younger to be slaughtered.  Wow, if that didn't involved some kind of running or fleeing in a hurry, I don't know what does.  But they stuck together and made it through safely.  Running together gives a family that camaraderie and support for each other that no other sport can give you on a constant basis.  So, try running and perhaps pray as you run, just like our Holy Family who was protected by the angels throughout their journey.  God bless all families!