I knew for several weeks that my wife had a surprise trip in the works for my birthday last weekend. I knew it was going to be somewhere warm. And I knew that meant I would be able to leave the running tights and jackets at home. What I didn't realize was that I could have stayed in Chicago and done the same thing! 60 degree temperatures in February. Go figure!
Several friends sent birthday greetings on Facebook, and offered wishes for a great Birthday run. They know me too well. Of course, I was looking forward to that Birthday run 
as much as anything for the weekend. What they didn't know, and neither did I, was that I was going to be running along the beach in Ft. Lauderdale, joined by two good friends!
Turning 45 could be pretty depressing. I think the term 'mid-life crisis' was invented for men who turn that age. My youth is clearly in the past at this point. My physical ability is diminishing. There are likely no P.R.'s in my future, unless they involve a distance I have never run before! Of course, I'm about to have four children under the age of five, so that will keep me young for some time to come. But regardless, turning 45 was what I had to deal with this last weekend.
Thanks to my wife, however, there is no mid-life crisis going on. I didn't know our destination until we got to the airport. My wife advised me how to pack. I was excited to learn we were headed to Ft. Lauderdale. The last time I was there was to cover the Bears in the Super Bowl. When we landed, I learned we were staying at the same hotel where I had done a story about the Indianapolis Colts. Their accommodations were much nicer than the Bears that week. The Colts were on the beach. The Bears were near the airport. The surprises didn't end there, however.
When we got to the hotel lobby after checking in, we were greeted by two other couples from Chicago. I had no previous idea they were coming. Surprise number two! They are good friends of ours who made the trip to help celebrate, and make the weekend even more memorable. And, coincidently, the guys are also occasional runners! So they were up for a morning run on my Birthday! John, on the left, ran his first 5k just a few months ago. Tom has done a number of races, and is getting back in shape for more. He is on the right in this picture I took along the Ocean Drive path on the strip in Ft. Lauderdale. They both know I am training for a marathon, but they were troopers, and volunteered to go as far as I wanted. I'm sure the nice weather had something to do with that as well.
It is just about the time in my marathon training when I'm starting to get a little weary. The training is beginning to feel a little like work, and I'm starting to get nagging little injuries 
and soreness. So it was really great to change the scenery and run with some different partners. I managed to get in a five miler one day, and eight the next. Running along the water is one of my favorite things to do. My thoughts drift off, as the waves roll onto the beach. The miles just seem to roll along like the sea.
I did my long run the day before we left, so I wouldn't keep my wife waiting around for me while on vacation. As it turned out, she wouldn't have minded a bit. I believe she enjoyed relaxing away from the kids for a couple days as much as I. We were happy to share the opportunity to wake up early with them with their Grandma for a change! We were also grateful to her. And I was grateful to my wonderful wife, and friends, who went to such lengths for my birthday. It was really a beautiful weekend, as the picture of the sunset I 
took from a sailboat, suggests.
One of the things about birthdays is that they are mile markers along the course. We don't know how far we have to run before reaching the finish line, but I hope I'm no closer than the half-way point of this race. I'm training for an ultra-marathon in that regard. But birthdays at this point also tend to have us contemplate our mortality on some level. We've all lost friends and loved ones much too early. One of my friends who managed to recover from a life-threatening heart ailment to keep his streak of consecutive Boston Marathon finishes alive reminds me of that. Mark Buciak has run Boston every year for more than a quarter of a century, and the streak has no end in sight. But Mark does want to share what he has learned about heart disease, and how you can detect potential problems early. Below is information on his upcoming seminar.
Meantime, I'll see you on the road...
The road to Boston Training Program is pleased to present this important seminar in the spirit of National Heart Health Month. A panel of 3 exercise physiolgists who form the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation will answer your questions, as well as these: How does your heart work? How does a runners' heart react to stress? What can you do to reduce your risk of heart disease?
Coach Mark Buciak is a veteran of 52 marathons, including 29 straight Bostons, and one open heart surgery will be your host for the evening.
Date: Thursday February, 12th
Location: REI, 1466 N. Halsted St.
Time: 6:30-8:00
Cost: Free, but please RSVP to WWW.theroadtoboston.info
Free parking with validation. Refreshments provided by Whole Foods Market.
Sounds like a very nice birthday surprise. You're a lucky guy. I know what you mean about turning 45. My birthday is this coming Monday and I'll be 47. It's taken me about 2 years to adjust to and start getting comfortable with my advancing age. I don't feel any different than when I was younger but seeing a photo of myself is always a not-so-happy, surprising reminder that I'm getting older. I hope neither of us are yet past the halfway mark in this race. There are too many things left to do.
Posted by: Kevin | February 11, 2009 at 09:50 PM
John, Happy Bday! Nice post. A (non-running) friend once asked me why I didn't schedule a rest day on my birthday as a relaxing gift to myself and it was hard to explain...that's the BEST day to run! Sounds like you had a great beach jog with friends. No sweat on turning 45, you will rock it!
Posted by: Liz | February 12, 2009 at 02:45 PM
Kevin, Liz, Looking forward to seeing you both in Boston! Thanks for the thoughts.
Posted by: John Garcia | February 12, 2009 at 07:21 PM