Well, 2014 did not turn out as I planned. Maybe 2015 will see my goals realized. I am finally healed from the dreaded stress fracture.
I ran my first post fracture marathon over the Holidays and it was so much fun. The 3 bridges marathon is a local favorite. It was created by a lovely person who is no longer with us and whom I will forever consider one of the best runners I have known.
It's not so much that he had Olympian skill, although we was very fast. It was his spirit that made him memorable. He loved the small, obscure races. He loved the spirit of running. He was the spirit of running.
I knew that if I was out in Two Rivers, on a blustery, cold, windy evening, he would be there. I would always see him and he would smile, shout, and stretch out his hand for a high or low five. Even if he was going in another direction, he would double back just for the high five.
He mentored, inspired, lead, and created the running spirit in everybody he talked to. There was no escaping his light and that was what I celebrated on my first marathon running, coming back and recovering.
He is no longer with us physically but he is here, with us every time we go out in the rain, the wind the thunder and cold, keeping us motivated and happy and reminding us all why we do what we do and why it is so special. I will never forget him and I see him in every curve of the river trail. I will always continue on and try, attempt and probably fail to be just a fraction of the runner he was. But he gives me something to strive for. :)
You're always in our memory Jacob Wells.
Lisa Luyet
