Running back to D-Mac

When you’re growing up through your teenage years it’s rare if you come across anyone who has completely got it all together. I reckon even the coolest kids in school have fears and anxieties, and basically worry about fitting in and doing or saying the right things. As a teacher I see awkward kids walking on peer group eggshells every single day. You just want to grab them and assure them that it will all work out. Although even if you did......., well, I know if anyone had said that to me, I would’ve thought they have no idea what they’re talking about.

It’s hard enough fitting in with kids in your own level. However I clearly remember thinking that the guys in the year ahead of us were by far smarter, better at sport, better with the ladies and if ever there was a punch on behind the grandstand or down at Spring Rd after school, they would beat the living bejeezus out of you. Luckily, even though I had a mouth on me, I never found out about that one.

In the photo above, seven out of the eight other blokes pictured with me are from the year level above at school. These were the blokes who I was a bit in awe of, a little bit envious of and definitely a bit scared of. Well to be honest, I wasn’t scared of Scotty (in the yellow shorts) but the bloke next to him, look out. 23 years after school and these are the same blokes that I run around Duncan McKinnon Reserve with each week. On a cold Tuesday night when it had bucketed rain throughout the day, here they all were standing around a massive banner that a couple of them had made to welcome my return from 3 months of injury. I was speechless, overwhelmed and very, very grateful.

It was when I was looking at the photo that it all dawned upon me. I started up this blog so that my own kids will be able to have a look back on what I was getting up to with all of this running. I hope they don’t have too many awkward moments growing up through their teenage years. I hope they have great friends. But if there are moments when they don’t feel quite right then they might read this. There’s great people all around you. It may be that you just don’t hang with them ‘yet’.

Thanks D-Mac crew. Quality!