Runs with Friends

Over the years I have had a few good running friends. The first runner I really clicked with was a guy named Sam Lewis in Charlotte. He was faster, older and cooler than me. I learned a lot about racing and life. The next was a group of guys that I met in 1996 or so after I moved to Durham. I met Ralph Tuttle first at Jordan HS track. Ralph is a lovable old curmudgeon, with a knack for ultrarunning. He introduced me to Scott Schoedler during a Duke/Godiva Sunday run. Soctt has a knack for calculating running paces and distances during a fast run, no easy feat. I have run more miles with Scott than anyone else during my career of 30 years and he can still bear my company! Stephen Fraser and Chris Shields are the guys I met next at Godiva. Chris was a college runner with quite possibly the most bizzare sense of humor of anyone I have met. He is tough and gives nothing away. Stephen came to marathoning late in life(meaning late 20's).Our runs turn into a long running conversation on various topics. I rail, he insults, I get pissed, say something stupid and reinforce his superior intellect. He started his own business and is running less but, I still enjoy his company. His marathon PR is 14 seconds faster than mine! Steve Wright and Roger Sutton are 2 other guys I have run with semi-regularly. Steve is the quiet ghost on runs that is impossible to drop. I have fallen out of contact with him and feel bad about that. Good guy. Roger is the guy that is my running kindred spirit. He has that same attitude of "Let's Hammer" and "I am gonna drop you sucka" that make runs with him torture and great. All these guys have given me joy in the effort and have made this running life a good one.