My Father’s Marathon

This Saturday my wife, two boys and I will be joining my father to participate in the Le Sueur Giant Days 5k run/walk. A couple of years ago my father had a severe stroke which completely removed all sensitivity on his right side. Weeks after his stroke we didn’t know if he would have much mobility, but because of his determination he made rapid progress through rehabilitation. However, with no sensitivity on one side, walking is still a challenge for him. Last year when my wife and I ran in the Giant Days run my father said adamantly that he would do it next year. We responded with encouragement, but I silently thought he was taking on a nearly impossible endeavor. The 3.1 miles would be like a marathon to him.

A year later my father is doing well and his walking has greatly improved. He routinely walks from his home to a coffee shop in downtown Le Sueur, which is a little more than a mile each way and has a pretty steep climb up the valley slope that Le Sueur resides. (You may remember hearing the jingle, “from the valley of the jolly, ho ho ho, green giant”. That valley is the Minnesota River valley at Le Sueur, my home town). Nobody knows if he can walk an entire 5k. But isn’t that a true challenge - something we set out to do not knowing if we can? It really doesn’t matter if he crosses the finish line; he is a winner just trying.