How many running families do you know? I can think of quite a few in my neck of woods and I'd like to bet so do you. Coincidence, lifestyle, genetics?
This question occurred to me when Club Fat Ass member Tim Wiens sent some photos from his recent finish at the Okanagan Marathon. I looked at the pictures and
although the guy on the photo looked familiar, I didn't think it was Tim. The second photo he sent showed two guys and I felt slightly confused. I did of course not read the accompanying text that explained that both Tim and his brother Stan completed the marathon. They finished 3 minutes from each other. I don't know their running history, only that it wasn't their first marathon.
I come from a running family. When I grew up, we would spend every weekend at another 10km, Half Marathon or longer races. As a young teenager I crewed for both my mum and 
dad at the famous 100km of Biel in Switzerland. Although inspired by their accomplishments, I would be an off and on runner, depending on my teenage mood and hormone level. Come to think about it, same applies to my sister. I don't think we ever ran together when we grew up. One of us always was running, the other wasn't. 30 years later we both run, our husbands do, my nephew does (he is 12 years old) and my children love to run.
I know similar stories. Take the extended Pace family... let's see if I get this right: Melissa and partner run, brother Glenn does 100 Milers, mother is an exceptional runner. Geoff Palmer, winner of the 2005 Silvertip 50 Trail Race, has running parents. Read Geoff's blog to find out who is the faster marathon runner, dad or him? Wendy Montgomery, host of tomorrow's "Wendy's Get Your Fat Ass Off The Couch" comes from an athletic family. Her mom is an incredible age group runner, sister Carol has competed for Canada in the Olympics and Wendy's daughter Olivia won last year's Edgemont Mile (Olivia is a competitive swimmer). And the list goes on.
What makes these families run? Is it nature or nurture. Do you come from a running background? Tell me your story.
Comments
“I’m going to Boston
I thought I would explain the exuberance that my brother Stan Wiens displayed in the first photo.
Stan was the only athletic family member. He decided about seven years ago that running a marathon would be one of his life’s goals. He did that with no problem. I, who was completely sedentary, but somewhat competitive, decided to do the same thing. I ran for a few weeks, tore a hamstring, and was out for a year and a half. In 2000 I was able to start over and get the marathon thing out of the way. Then Stan decided to do Boston and thus began years of frustration in trying to qualify. I made it more frustrating for him by continuing to run and qualifying a couple of years ago.
Twice before, Stan and I went to the Okanagan Marathon in Kelowna so that he could qualify for Boston. Both times ended in failure. Then last weekend we lined up for the third time. This time he managed to hold the pace to finish with 3:18, which qualified him with a couple of minutes to spare. He crossed the line and yelled out to everyone “I’m going to Boston
Great Story
Sibylle