A Very Different December

I am my father's daughter. He and I are quite alike in many ways. We share a love of literature, black coffee, writing, movies, the same or a similar sense of humour, love of nature etc.. For most of my life we have been pretty much the same except for the fact that he loved running and I did not. Growing up I have vivid memories of him coming in from the cold after running 15 miles or 21 miles or just a light 6 miles.. and me thinking.. "He's crazy!" 

Last year as I was in Japan learning to run 5K.. he was in Canada preparing for brain surgery. He had grown a tumour on his pituitary gland and it needed to be removed. He had the surgery the day I finished Couch to 5K and I flew home the next day to be with him and my family. Last Christmas was hard on us. He had the surgery and then complications which resulted in a second surgery which had their own set of complications during which we nearly lost him. It was terrifying. He survived the experience, is now tumour free and has spent the last year trying to get his strength back. When I was home in the summer he was still very weak and unable to run much more than a mile without his legs giving out. He has been slowly recovering and has finally started running again.

This morning, for the first time ever, my dad and I went for a 7 mile run together! It was amazing being out on the beautiful country roads with him, keeping pace and talking while we ran together. Considering how this past year went I am so grateful to not only have my dad alive but to be able to run with him. 

And now there is yet another thing we have in common.