My story, unlike many of yours, only goes back about a month or so. I only met Bill once. It was the first weekend in April...and the weather was awful. It was about 35 degrees, rainy, even snowy at times, windy, and dark. Although I've been running for a few years, I had just started running with ODR. As we set off on our run, most of the people were travelling in groups, laughing, talking, pacing together as if they had known each other for years (because they have!). Then there was me - the "new girl" - just jogging quietly along somewhere in the pack.

As the route veered off the pavement and started on the old train bed path, someone turned around, smiled, and said, "Hi, I'm Bill". We were about 20 minutes into the run, and I gladly welcomed the company. For the next hour and half, Bill and I talked about everything - his kids (who are about my age) and grandkids, my job, his career, my education, our past races, my family (who was coming to Rochester that afternoon), renewable energy, politics, running shoes, my recent wedding, hydration belts, yoga, the history of ODR, my upcoming hike in the Grand Canyon and his in Denali, etc, etc. It turned out we had a lot in common - despite the generation gap, which I've found naturally falls away while running. At one point towards the end of the run, Bill said, "You can go ahead if you want". I said, "No way! I would rather have the good company than a fast finish any day".

Although I don't have decades of memories to reflect on - all it took was ONE time for Bill to have a positive and meaninful impact. ONE. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to run with him if only once. Eventhough our friendship was short, it was very clear to me that he is a role model for all of us in the way he lived life. I'm sure I will think of Bill at times when I think twice about getting up, despite the weather, to go on a run. I'll be out there - you never know who you might meet!

Caroline Wheadon