Winston

Now that Halloween is behind us, it is time to gear up for the next major holiday. Hats off to all the veterans but I am talking about Thanksgiving. I like Thanksgiving because it consists of four days of eating, drinking, playing and more eating. It is all about family, friends and food - a lovely trifecta. Guys will probably substitute one of the "f"s for football. And the best part is that unlike many other celebrations, there's no need to worry about shopping for and wrapping gifts.

Winston is from one of the most beautiful places in the world, Cape Town, South Africa. When visiting his town, Winston recommends taking a hike or cable ride to Table Mountain, because it provides some of the most spectacular views of his town. He told me that there may not be a Thanksgiving or similar holiday in South Africa but Sundays are generally designated "family day" and that is when people gather around the table to count their blessings. Winston is most grateful "just to be alive and breathing." Could it be that he overcame some major life adversities which have given him a greater appreciation for the ability to be alive? We didn't get into those details but he did tell me about one of his most recent extra-ordinary accomplishments. Last Sunday, Winston ran the NY Marathon and finished at 5:23 in spite of the fact that he pulled his two tendons. He has run half marathons in the past but this was the first time that he completed a full marathon. Winston came to NY with two friends with whom he had trained for several months. His friends finished at 4:40! A word of advice from Winston to people who entertain the idea of running the marathon: stay focused and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

Winston is only the second person I've ever met who's run the NY marathon. The other person participated in the 1999 marathon and finished at 4:27:11. Why not, I'll brag. I am proud to say that the other runner is my husband. Whenever it is time for the annual NY marathon, I unequivocally remember a Seinfeld episode where Seinfeld is supposed to wake up Jean Paul, a marathon runner who had overslept at the previous Olympics. Seinfeld's alarm stops working during the night and they both oversleep but JP still manages to make the race. JP is eventually in the lead and passes people on the sidelines who are offering cups of water. Kramer and the gang are in the crowd too. Out of all the cups, JP grabs Kramer's cup, which is full of hot tea instead of water. At the sound of JP's scream, they all shriek and look at each other with their classic grimaces.

Now that the marathon is behind them, Winston and his friends are spending a few days sight-seeing and exploring the city. Winston's favorite part of town is Brooklyn. He hasn't had the opportunity to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge yet but alas, he has already run across the Queensboro! Winston may have injured his ankle during the marathon but that will not dissuade him from hitting the running track 4-5 months after his recovery. And he hopes to be back in NY next year in order to take another bite at the NYC marathon.