To the Top this Thanksgiving

This past Friday marked my 12th race of the calendar year. Downtown Johnstown's Santa Run served as my grand finale of 2017. My oldest daughter, a soon to be 3-year-old standout, has evolved into a seasoned vet when it comes to racing. She was my partner-in-time for five races this year, including this 2-mile scoot for Santa. 

I am thankful for the moments I've shared with her on race day. As a proud Stroller Dad, I push her and she pushes me. While on the move, she sometimes inquires about pending treats or delivers a news story from earlier in the week. She occasionally belts out a "Go Dad!" She is often stoic. She never complains and never asks to stop. She is my thrill ride. 

When we got to the finish line on Friday, she was delighted by the candy cane and medal. The Christmas Parade and Light Up Night was about to begin. We weaved our way through the big crowd in search of Mom, Baby Sis, family, and friends. Downtown was full - of people, of spirit, and of purpose. It was a brisk and beautiful night.

On Saturday morning, it rained. It rained hard. The beauty of Friday turned into a beast of a Saturday. Welcome to Johnstown. I  signed up to volunteer for the restoration of an Inclined Plane trail earlier in the week. I left the woman and children and headed for the great outdoors. Leave no trail behind.

The project's leader was now my partner-in-mud. It was just me, him, and slop. For one water-logged hour, we got after it. A trench was dug. Rocks were hurled. Water gushed out of our freshly laid drainage pipe. Watching the water shoot out, I thought about the day when my daughters and I will hike this trail to the top - the whole way to the top.

On Sunday, spiritual messages centered on growth - personal and communal. If you stepped foot downtown on Friday night or on that Inclined Plane trail after the Saturday mudslide, you would have observed growth. You would have been a part of development. I heard the words "vibrant", "awesome", "alive" and "joy" to describe Friday. I can tell you Saturday was painfully awesome and my boots are still wet. Two drastically different events with one striking similarity - community members are coming together.

Enjoy your turkey. Enjoy our town. See you at the top.

Johnstown: The Positive Moment

"Make it your aim to do what is right"

This Old Testament quote is what gives me a sense of direction on this Sunday night. Words, especially this week in Johnstown, are too often used as a weapon. Since I started this blog roughly a year ago, my aim was to tell positive stories; to capture worthwhile moments in and around Johnstown.

That aim was initiated by faith and inspired by family. The stories would be told from experience. I would not have to make anything up. I would resist the temptation to criticize or complain. I would strike hard with humor. I would be optimistic because that is my nature - to live with a grateful edge.

The delusion would be the idea that nothing is wrong. Journalism has become so absorbed by conflict, scandal, and gloom that telling exclusively positive stories is somewhat outrageous as outrage is everywhere. From a very childish standpoint, I wanted to share good and I still do. I don't tell my daughter to "walk over to the neighbor's house and tell her everything bad about today". Social media sharing sometimes feels like that except your neighbor is everyone with Internet access.

So, if you are reading this, you are an Internetter. Warning - this is going to stay positive. I'm not going to pull a switcharoo because some other storyteller made a big splash in the pool. I was Dory for Halloween. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. 

Just keep positive blogging. Just keep positive blogging. 

I'm going to stay the course. I am going to try to outrace Negative Nancy and all her buddies. And when I cross the finish line, I am going to try to recruit Negative Nancy. She is my neighbor and she can evolve into Positive Nancy. It might take a lot of work and it should. Change is hard and it takes time.

In what felt like a chaotic week for me, I found some inner peace this Sunday. "Make it your aim to do what is right" was my trumpet blast. This quote was a part of Cafe Sunday at Mill House Cafe. Friends and neighbors gathered to honor Jesus, a man who never had Twitter, but had a handle on everything. After that experience, our family went to the 11:00 A.M. mass at Our Mother of Sorrows.

My youngest daughter served as a cyclone in my hands. It was a bouncy Dad-daughter mass battle. When she fell asleep during the closing hymn, I declared victory. My wife was holding the heavier sack of potatoes and joyfully bobbing up and down. And then the moment happened.

When the choir - an energized, soulful, inspiring choir - finished the song, a round of applause rang out. A church - a community - clapped in appreciation. It was as if the daughter I was clutching was struck by lightning. She popped up from my drool shoulder, startled by the noise. I could only smile.

How she fell asleep during that last hymn is beyond me, but that applause got her attention. It caught her by surprise. She quickly went from startled to peaceful once more, but her reaction made me stop and think. I'd like to think she was comforted by the applause. Maybe, she thought the parishioners were cheering for her. In a weird way, I think they were.

No matter where you live, cheer for those who are doing it right. Take time to share positive thoughts and stories. Allow your shoulder to provide some comfort. I know one day I'll wish I had the drool shoulder days back.

Sleep well, Johnstown. Don't be scared by the noise. Drown them out with applause.

Morley's and Morals

For the sixth consecutive November, I ran in the 5-mile Morley's Run. I have learned some lessons, or shall I say, morals, over the years. Here's to you, Morley:

Moral: 5 miles is about as far as I want to run.

I could do a 10K or 6.2 miles, but the next day my daughter would look at me and say, "Dad, why do you look sad?"  There is a 10-mile Morley's option each year. I never choose this option because I am trying to teach my children to stay away from things that make them sad.

Moral: Getting my daughter dressed is emotionally harder than running 5 miles.

My soon-to-be three year old routinely and falsely accuses me of incompetence when it comes to getting ready for the day. My initiative and aid are protested and these protests are not peaceful. "Mom" is hooted and hollered. I change my other daughter's diaper, prepare my breakfast, or both, while wondering if and when the protests will end.

Moral: Never turn back going downhill.

In the middle of Stackhouse this year, a runner and I were stride for stride. He looked at me and said, "This is the 10 mile, right". I answered honestly. He swore. I encouraged him to win the 5-mile.

Moral: Never say never.

Will I ever run a long distance run again?  I did do a half marathon and the Tough Mudder before. Will I father another child? I do love those two little girls.

Moral: Quit while you are ahead.

5 miles is enough. 2 children is enough.  How do people have 5 children? 

Moral: Mr. Rogers got it right.

Mr. Rogers has nothing to do with Morley's Run, but there is a neighborly love when it comes to this event. I feel like I am part of the Johnstown running community. That comes with a lot of handshakes, high-fives, and race shirts. Race t-shirts and long sleeve shirts make up somewhere between 40-45% of my waist-up-clothing. You know this is true because I used the term, waist-up-clothing.

My mother, wife, and daughters congratulated me on my 6th Morley's 5-mile finish. My youngest daughter appeared happy to see me, although unable to communicate her true feelings. My oldest daughter was happily dressed and I was happy I did not have to dress her. She and I danced to the race day band's version of The Weight, a 1968 classic from The Band. My daughter prefers The Muppets version available on YouTube and recorded in 2014. Times have changed, but "take a load off Fanny, take a load for free" never gets old.

We danced on the same ground where I danced with my wife on our wedding day. Peoples Natural Gas Park is where our wedding reception was held. It is where our family officially started. It is where my official 5-mile time was logged once more.

One day, my daughters will both be teenagers. Maybe, they will be running with me. Maybe, I will be running from them. Hopefully, I'll still be running.

Cheers to Morley, the race's organizers and volunteers, family, friends, and neighbors who make Johnstown what it is.