2008: A Year in Review

Despite it's ending, the year that was 2008 brought me some very good fortune and will be a year to remember. Here are some of the highlights, lowlights and recalls:

• January 3. First run of the year. A four-miler with 12 degree/-6 wind chill.
• February 14 through February 19. I complete an amazing run of refereeing 13 games in six nights. I don't run at all during this stretch and battle through it all while I have a chest cold.
• February 29. I drive to Pittsburgh to referee Game 1 of the College Hockey East Championship, but the game is canceled while I am driving in on the parkway. I stay in Pittsburgh for a one night personal vacation.
• March 2. I referee the High School Open Division Championship Game at the War Memorial Arena.
• March 14 through March 16. I get to go to Indianapolis to referee in the Mid-American District Championships. I see the RCA Dome and construction on the new Lucas Oil Stadium.
• March 18. I referee the Penguin Cup Class AA Final at Mellon Arena. It is the eighth time in my officiating career I am blessed with the opportunity to work in the old barn.
• March 29. I run my first road race of the year (PHCC Sprint to Success 5k). I come across in second place with a time of 20:52. A great start to the racing season.
• April 7. Opening Day for the Pirates! The start of another losing season.
• April 11. I attend Game 2 of round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Pens beat the Senators on this night to go up 2-0 in the series.
• May 5. Frederick Marathon. Not a good day as I finish in 3:45:13 and am humbled by the difficult course. Becky and our two dogs (Tera and Vee) make the trip with me.
• May 11. One week after a marathon I run the Komen Race for the Cure in Pittsburgh. I finish in 20:41. Great performance. I finish 102nd overall out of 2,222 runners.
• May 20. The day I pick up my new car, and also the day we lose Tera. She is put to rest and I lose the best friend a guy could have.
• May 30. I kick off my umpiring season.
• May 31. I attend Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Pens lose this one to Detroit, 2-1 and go down 3-1 in the series. Looks like it's over in five.
• June 4. Hold the phone. Pens win a thriller in Detroit to get it to game six. I'm in the building again and again I see them lose. This time it's for all the marbles and I see the Stanley Cup being awarded live. This may never be possible again in my lifetime.
• June 14. Daily American 10k; a staple in my running season. I do a 42:19 and finish first in my age group, 8th place overall.
• June 15 through June 20. Vacation in Ocean City, Md. Great time of year!
• June 27-28. I attend the Mid-American District meetings of USA Hockey as a supervisor for the first time. First time in Columbus, OH for me as well. Second new city this year.
• July 4. Hollidaysburg YMCA 15k. Slower this year at 1:07:41, but good for third in my age group this time. Another award to add to my collection.
• July 14. Hoodlebug 5k in Homer City, PA. Despite temperatures near 80 for this 6:00 p.m. race, I break 20:00 for the first time ever with a 19:49. A day to remember! New PR and 2nd in my age group.
• July 28. Got to golf at Fox Chapel Country Club in our health insurance outing. Most beautiful course I've ever played.
• August 9. I umpire third base in a AAABA Regional Tournament game.
• August 11. I umpire homeplate in a AAABA National Tournament game for the first time ever. Brooklyn defeats New York.
• August 13. I umpire homeplate in a AAABA National Tournament elimination game between perennial powers Baltimore and New Orleans. Baltimore wins behind the pitching of Kevin Brady, a future MLB pitcher who throws 90-95 mph.
• August 30. I run the Rockwood Half Marathon in preparation for my fall marathon. I PR with a 1:37:46, but I'm disappointed.
• September 14. I attend a level 4 seminar in Youngstown, OH in anticipationo of working in the Midget National Tournament in Pittsburgh next April.
• September 26. I take over as the color analyst for Johnstown High School Football games on WCRO-AM, and work my first game. (like I need more extracurricular activities).
• October 5. Run the Johnstown Marathon. My intention is to use it as training for the Richmond Marathon in November and gauge my progress. I do a decent 3:33:05, and as usual I am disappointed.
• October 10-13. We go to Dewey Beach, DE for the Greyhounds Reach the Beach event.
• October 21. We lose our second greyhound this year when Vee suffers a cardiac condition and dies in our home. It's another sad day.
• October 25. I celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary by starting the day at the Red Cross Vampire 5k. In a downpour, I come across in 20:52, finishing second overall. Despite the slow time, the course was difficult and hilly and I feel great. Possibly the peak of my running this year.
• October 27. While working a high school hockey game I am hit on the left foot. I don't know it yet, but I've broken a bone and my running is all but over for awhile.
• November 4. I turn 38 years old today amid the cloud of an injury that appears to be serious. Like Becky said, "you're not getting any younger." So true.
• November 5. I don't know it yet, but I have my last run of the year. Four miles on the treadmill on a broken foot. My foot is in pain, but I block it out. I have a marathon to run in ten days.
• November 6. I don't know it yet, but I work my last hockey game of 2008 in Altoona.
• November 15. The day I was supposed to run the Richmond Marathon. Wisely, I decide a week earlier that I can't do it. I bike 26.2 miles on the stationary bike in honor of it. I still don't know my foot is broken.
• November 19. After an MRI the day before, I am diagnosed with a non-displaced navicular fracture. I now have more time on my hands than I've had since high school and running and reffing are officially done for the year.
• December 22. After 4 1/2 weeks in a walking boot, I am finally out of it. The bone is healing, but the rehab is just beginning.
• December 29. I have a treatment of Active Release Therapy and within 24 hours I notice that the overall feeling of my foot is better. It continues to heal and I look forward to 2009.

What lies ahead? Who knows. But what I can say is that looking back at 2008 collectively, I had a pretty good year. Sure, there were some ups and downs but isn't that what life is all about? How we react in the face of adversity, how we handle success. It's all relevant and helps build us into the person that we are. This is what I believe, and although I have no idea what the new year ahead will have in store for me, I'm ready for whatever it throws at me. The only thing I can safely predict is that like 2008 and many many years before it, 2009 will bring with it hope, happiness, and no doubt new challenges. It will bring good, bad and indifferent. It will bring with it new opportunities and I'm sure will also remind me of the past. It brings the hope of once again lacing up my running shoes and preparing for and running another marathon. The opportunity to once again get to the top of the mountain and qualify for the Boston Marathon. How can I not look forward to that? Happy New Year everybody.