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May 20, 2004
Can You Hear Home Calling?

TREK Relay Coordinator, Ron Kramer, stresses "the safety issue" at each morning briefing. The team listens.  See more photos in our gallery

Meadville, PA  -  So we?ve been through the deserts of Nevada, the mountains of Utah, and Cameron Pass in Colorado.  We?ve conquered snakes, heat, cold, and sleet.  Now it?s time to get serious.  Now it?s time to think about our greatest challenge .. Pennsylvania.  Yes, I know.  I?ve read the license plates ? ?You?ve got a Friend in Pennsylvania?.  What you?ve really got in Pennsylvania are hills.  Lots and lots of hills.  Not big 10,000 foot ones, but lots of ups and lots of downs.  It?s the kind of running that can really exhaust a runner.  Other than McGillivray, not many of us have had much ?Penna? running experience, but we?ve heard from every acquaintance that has ever run a mile in that state that Dave?s assessment is correct, ?It?s the toughest state on the run?.

Recognizing the severity of the next three days, relay director, Ron Kramer, built in another relatively mild day today.  Our assignment was to cover 78 miles from Cleveland, Ohio to Meadeville, Pennsylvania.  David D?Arcangelo?s forecast called for a muggy day with the possibility of showers and the threat of a late afternoon thunderstorm.

From the outskirts of downtown Cleveland, group 1 began their run.  The first leg was run with unusual gusto ? perhaps because the neighborhood was the complete opposite of the neighborhood that surrounded Lake Erie.  Within a mile, however, the scenery changed.  The abruptness was startling.  From inner city poverty to a bucolic country road in minutes once again highlighted for us the diversity of the road across our country.

The gravitational pull toward home is growing stronger as we draw closer.  It is hard to believe that we will be crossing the border into Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon.  Today, Fernando was sure he was even closer to home.

When he completed his run, he jumped back aboard the RV with a smile on his face.  He told us how his five year old son, Shane, always asks him, ?Where you goin???, if he is leaving the house.  As Fernando was cruising through his 7.8 mile jaunt, he swore he could hear his son?s voice in his head??Where you goin???  He smiled and continued.  Then, again and louder he heard, ?Where you goin???  That time it was a little too real.  Again he heard at almost a shout, ?WHERE YOU GOIN???  With that, Fernando looked over his shoulder and saw a little five year old boy on a porch calling out the question to him.  He stopped his run to go to the little boy and explain, ?I am going home?.

We all are.

It was a short day today.  We caught a bit of rest so that we?ll be at our best for the assault on the hills of Pennsylvania. After that, the Citgo sign can?t be too far away.

Tom @TREKUSA.org