Team Sport Report: Bob Oakes

Bob and I go way back to fall 1989 where we met at Northeastern University. It's funny how you meet lifelong friends right away when you get to college. I was a bit of a wanderer that first week (orientation), and eager (ok maybe desperate?) to find some new friends, decided to head to a social event at the Ell Center.  Well, I ended up hooking on with a small group there, and followed them back to their dormitory. That's where I met Bob. It is also where I met my wife Danielle. That night I was given a very short lived and perhaps unfortunate nickname homeless Ken. Another good friend Bruce Skillin quickly took care of that problem, doling out nicknames based on where everyone came from. Mine started with "Ken Dover".

So what does any of this foolishness have to do with running? Well, first off Bob also was also a cross country athlete in high school, and we did make a few fleeting attempts our freshman year to hit the roads. During parents weekend, ours were impressed when we did a morning workout around the Fens before engaging in a day of family visits and touring the city. But it was a couple years later when we turned up the dedication a bit and started up with some early a.m. runs along the Charles River - in February. I would run from my campus apartment over to Bob's place on Comm Ave., then head over to the Esplanade. That was the beginning of learning what a frozen face feels like with the bone chilling and high velocity winds along the Charles. The experiment didn't last all that long but showed we hat at least a some dedication and discipline in us, lazy undergraduate slackers.

But the real deal with Bob is that he's a quintessential optimist, one to rally the troops, and do it while keeping things loose. Back then, when we were up against a homework / project / final exam deadline Bob was the guy to be around. When doubt inevitably set in, he would step in and say "hold on - we can do this, trust me". Also, preparing for final exams was simply prohibited until we first had a chance to blow off some steam on the friday night before - per order of Bob. We've been in lots of situations like this and the guy knows what he's talking about. We "learned" 3 chapters of Physics all night before an 8am final exam and nailed it! Now, he did have to drag me half asleep for a mile walk in the freezing cold to the exam, and he himself had to be nudged awake during the exam, panic and start from the beginning - but we got it done and nailed the test. As always.

So if - no when - things start to feel a little "dark" in the marathon, I'm going to have to think back to Bob's rallying style, listen to that advice and try to pull it off. Bob, let's just hope it's not as big a hole as being down 3 games to 0, trailing the Yankees in the 8th inning - although that certainly was an incredible comeback!

Championship Revelry, Red Sox Parade 2004