Here's to You Richard

I've been thinking a lot about Richard Harvey these past few weeks. We start training for Disney this week and he's been on my mind so much more lately. Funny how the hurt will all come rushing back at odd times.

I heard the Top Gun theme song the other day driving home from our run at Centerville Road and I almost couldn't bear the pain. It was a little less than a year ago that we all ran together for the Marine Corp. Marathon at Centerville Road. Richard went out to get all the coolers and when he saw Berinice and I struggling to finish our 20 mile run, he slowed down and drove next to us with that song blasting from his truck speakers. The goose bumps came up and after a lot of yelling and hooping and hollering, we matched his pace. He rolled along, playing DJ for us all of those last 3 miles, pushing us to keep up with him. I can't remember what else he played, Def Lepperd maybe? But I know that first song was "Danger Zone" and it was perfect. Loud, motivating, thumping and all Richard.

Richard was the team leader for the 2008 TNT Disney Team, so he had probably already put in some crazy miles that week. He ran with his team and ran with the Marine Corp group that summer. I don't know how he kept up. Who knows. . . . . but I remember the day he did his 20 miler. He went out to the park at Southwood right in the middle of a September afternoon by himself and started running around the lake. That's a two mile loop and he was doing it 10 times. Around and around alone. He was like that, you know? I can hear him say "get er' done." We got there when he was about half way through, I guess. We finished our short run and it started getting dark and he was still out there. We ran the last loop with him, keeping him going, fighting the bugs. I think we went to Stir Fry One afterwards, I can't remember now. So many memories, so much laughter. We miss you so, so much Richard.

And so this week we start training for Disney again. Twenty two weeks of running for you, Richard. This will be so hard, you'll be on all our minds every day I think. The Boston Half Marathon won't be the same without you. Running Centerville without you. Eating wings after a hard run at Tom Brown without you. But you're with us aren't you? All the way. One mile at a time.

We miss you and we love you, Richard. This is for you.