12/07/07 

About two weeks ago on a Thursday morning I pulled up in front of Biff’s Bagels in Flagstaff, AZ at 7:25 AM. My friend, Phil Wharton, had asked me the day before if I wanted to come to the “Bagel Run” and I responded with a definite “Yes!” Only then did I realize I had committed myself to showing up for a run in the cold at 7:30 AM. There was a large group gathered including Phil, Greg McMillan and his athletes, Mark Floreani, Eron from Adidas, Amy Hastings, Lauren Fleshman, Alica Shay, and several others as we headed out in to the frosty morning. The Bagel Run is a weekly event in Flagstaff; basically whoever is in town training is welcome to show up Thursday morning for an easy 10-mile run and to hang out and socialize afterwards at the bagel shop.

I had traveled to Flagstaff for a Memorial Service for Ryan Shay, which was held the previous evening in Buffalo Park. Phil presided over the ceremony, which was a moving tribute to Ryan followed by a walk of reflection around the trail where he and the local runners often did interval workouts. After meeting such a close knit group of runners in Flagstaff I know that they will support Alicia in any and all ways possible as she begins to recover in the coming months. The short time that I spent there got me to thinking and I came to realize that the one thing that I really appreciate about being a runner is the incredible friendships and camaraderie that, we as runners, share. Although it will always be a cutthroat competition for every spot on every team, our companionship still transcends these competitive rivalries. This is the reason why, although I’m really not a morning person, I am here in Flagstaff on a Thursday morning at Biff’s Bagels.