2010 Giant’s Valley 5K Run/Walk

My hometown of Le Sueur Minnesota is an idyllic town on the Minnesota River valley. From the Twin Cities it is southwest about 45 miles, just far enough out that it has not yet felt the effects of urban sprawl. Every summer Le Sueur celebrates the “Giant Celebration” with a carnival, Bingo, softball tournament, a parade with beauty queens riding floats and a corn-on-the-cob feast. The celebration evolved from “Corn on the Curb Days”, a celebration hosted by the Green Giant company back in the days when I was a young boy. Giant Days is kicked off each year with the Valley 5K Run/Walk, which attracts about 250 runners, walkers, dogs on leashes and moms with baby strollers.

This year my wife, two sons and my father joined me in the 5K. My teenage boys walked with my dad, who about two years ago suffered a serious stroke (see my previous post). My dad did it! He crossed the finish line with his grandsons in just over an hour.

The racers

A motivational T-shirt. At age 64 my dad bungy jumped off the Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand.

My Dad and his two grandsons at the starting line. Notice the ominous ambulance behind them. It would follow them throughout the race.

The race begins.

Crossing the starting line.

Brining up the rear.

Somewhere around the 2km (1.2 miles) mark.

At the 3km (1.9 mile) mark.

The race passes through the former campus and headquarters of the Green Giant Company,

Approaching the finish line. A carnival is on the left.

Just a few steps from the finish line. A couple of years ago a few steps would have been a challenge for my dad.

Crossing the finish line. Notice the beauty queens on the right. They greeted all the runners with a big dish of American Pie.

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.