HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Life is but a little journey and the moments are few and far between.

I noticed that Chris Raabe and Wilson Komen finished two and three at this past Sunday's Parks Half marathon. These two cats are part of the original cast of the runco team from yesteryear. When I met them back in the early 2000s they were in their early to mid 20s just paving the way. They were young, powerful and ambitious. Wilson was the seasoned runner who ran races for a living and Chris was the shy kid just hanging on.

I had a different life and different career and at the time, as soon as work was over, would bolt over to the RunCo on M st on hot summer evenings and venture off with Chris, Wilson and Ben for long long runs. During this juncture we were enamored with Wilson and followed his lead.

Out of all of us Chris took the reigns and ran with Wilson religiously. I was game but approaching my mid 30s and had other things to contend with., namely father time.

We ran and ran. We would do 15 mile fartlek runs on the Canal in mid summer, with Wilson dawning the sweatsuit and the silent Raabe in tow. Classic all or nothing training. All during the run Wilson would guide the flow and let us know the art and treachery of the Kenyan training regimine. It was all or nothing or sink or swim; Either run well and move on to the the USA or Europe or go back to the village.

At the end of each workout Wilson would give us a little pat and let us know that to run hard is to feel like dying.

Raabe owes much to the Wilson's nourishing ways. I do as well as when I met him I was simply running for recreation. He brought me into focus and got me to run 2:33 at age 36 in Boston.

Raabe came out of nowhere to run and win Grandmas Marathon in 2:15. Injuries and life took over for a while but based on Sunday's performance, it seems that they might be back.

Once a runner feels success and understands their essence, it never leaves. Run bold and run knowing history is behind you

ML