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Some Friendships Go On & On - Page 2

© Lynn Seely

The '80's were a mixed bag for us. Howie married a wonderful girl and started a family of his own. I suddenly found myself a single dad, raising two sons and a young daughter, while dealing with a serious groin injury suffered right after qualifying for the 1980 Olympic Marathon Trials. The injury would end any future racing for me. However, this setback, along with life's other tests, provided the opportunity to transform a running-based friendship into a strong relationship which has supported me and my family in both good times and bad .

As my daughter, Joy, made her way through grade school, she would join Howie and me most Saturday mornings. Whether her involvement in our weekly runners' rap session had anything to do with her spending a few years on the high school Cross Country and Track teams remains a mystery.

While his family grew into a happy threesome by virtue of the birth on his daughter Jenn, a family history of disc problems gradually found its way to Howie's lower back. Various attempts at relief failed, and after several years of increasing pain he had become limited physically. Mowing his lawn was out, and riding the stationary bike for an hour in a vinyl suit took the place of his daily eight milers. Near the end of the '80's Howie decided that back surgery was the only alternative. In the post-surgical meeting, he couldn't resist asking the inevitable question.

The doctor responded that the patient would be well served by attempting to just walk properly. The physician could not have prescribed a more bitter pill to an avid runner.

For me, the 1990's have ushered in some of life's best moments. A wonderful wife of seven-plus years, three great kids through college and now on their own, a chance to run most mornings, and still, Saturday mornings at the store.

At four p.m. on a recent Sunday, the New York Giants had just upset the Vikings. However, in an attempt to get the scoop on the REALLY big sports news, I placed a call to the Rosenblatt household and asked Jenn, now 13, how her dad did this morning in the East Lyme (CT) Marathon. She explained that he ran a 3:14, quickly adding that the winner came in at 2:48. Knowledgeable in the sport beyond her years, she said that Howie was in ninth place at 20 miles before the humidity took its toll. Not too shabby for a 50-year-old who was told to stick to walking.

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