On this day back in the late 1940's my dad was born into this world and he's been making a great impact on the world ever since! He retired back in May and has been busier than ever with softball, composing hymns & classical music, and leading church-related groups.
I've been really lucky to have such a great role model in my life. I ended up doing many similar things as my dad, but it's because I enjoy them, not because he did them.
Here's some of my dad's highlights:
- Graduated from Davidson College in 1970 (around the LAST time Davidson made it really far in the NCAA hoops tourney). He was a physics major and played on the baseball team there his freshman and sophomore years.
- Went on to Kent State for his Masters degree (the fall after the infamous protests and shootings on that campus)
- Got a job back here in western PA with Westinghouse (now Bechtel) in West Mifflin and was there (other than some assignments in Alabama, Seattle, and Virginia) until this past May. Working at the same place doesn't happen too much anymore.
- Plays (as in STILL plays) in our church fastpitch softball league and was the league MVP a few times back in the 1980's. He also still plays in a slowpitch league from where he works.
- Enjoys going to the Senior Games and running the 200m and 400m. He still can almost get down to 30 seconds in the 200 and 75 seconds in the 400m. I didn't get my distance genes from him, but he's sure got some quicks for a 60 year old!!!
- Member of every board imaginable at our church in Greensburg and was the Sunday School Superintendent for about as long as I can remember. He sings in the choir, leads the instrumental groups, and has now taken on some more regoinal church leadership roles.
For his birthday, my sister and I (along with Beth and D's husband) wanted to do something different. So, what we're going to do is, now that he's retired, take him on a multiple day tour of minor league baseball games. One of them will be in Frederick, MD since that's where my sister's living. From there, we'll have to check out the schedules, but it'll be from the following: Hagerstown, Bowie, Altoona, State College, Reading, Harrisburg, West Virginia (Charleston), Akron, Cleveland, Lake County (Cleveland), Erie. He doesn't know about it, but he's not really a blog reader. But, just in case you read it dad, surprise and happy birthday (the party's not until next weekend).
WHAT'S NEW WITH ME
I was down at my dad's house last weekend with Beth being down at Dallas (awesome job down there!!!!--8th elite amateur), so I didn't get my usual weekend blogging in. We'll be off to Phoenix for Beth's Best of the US race at the end of the month.
The XC season's winding down. We have one last tune up this thursday and then districts next thursday. The top 4 teams go to states and I think the guys have a good shot and the girls have a realistic shot assuming nobody has a bad day (the girls are only 6 deep in quality).
I was at a College Fair on Wednesday night representing Elizabethtown College as an alumni rep.
I had some good workouts this week. We had a 6x800 workout where I went 2:25, 2:27, 2:35, 2:37, 2:35, 2:35 (by design -- shorter rest for the last four). We did some 200's on Thursday to start sharpening up the kids for the home stretch.
I signed up for a half marathon on the heels of my successful 10k a few weeks back. This is a race on our rails to trails up in Freeport that Beth and I usually run on Sundays. It's point to point, so another downhill race. I like that idea of going downhill, I guess! I've never run a half marathon (a couple of 10 milers and 2 marathons, so I guess this will be a PR assuming I beat my half marathon splits).
In the Baseball Playoffs, sorry to Jen Harrison's Cubs. I thought they were in good shape to go far in the playoffs, but what's another year when you've already waited 100 for a world series championship? Not that the Pirates are in much better shape as they WILL (not might) set the record for most consecutive losing seasons by a US professional franchise next summer. Since the Cubs are out, we're pulling for the Rays after our trips down there November 07 and April 08. Boston's a good choice, too, since Jason Bay's there. But, there's always the Phillies--they're a gritty, hard-nosed team and we enjoyed our stay there this summer when Beth did the Philly tri.
Penn State has a tough game tomorrow up at Wisconsin. This is their tough stretch to see if they're for real or not. The badgers are a good running team, so we'll see if the D-line holds up. And, I have to give it to Pitt for upsetting USF, but I'll be surprised if Pitt doesn't trip over themselves at some point over the next month. We'll see.
Okay, time to get to bed, but hopefully more blogging in the near future.
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