What is connection? What does it mean to connect?
I was taking a break at Sam's Fountain, a drinking fountain on top of Cardiac Hill at Mt. Tamalpais. It's dedicated to local runner Sam Hirabayashi. To me it was the magical fountain since it seemed to just appear one day.
An older gentleman crested the hill. I noticed his Dipsea race shirt. We politely acknowledged each other, taking turns at the fountain. He was interesting. We talked about the Dipsea and the quirky ways to get in. He knew Sam. He'd done 30 races. His son had run it with him. He seemed to embody the unique character of the race.
In all those years he'd only missed it once. I listened as he struggled with the memory of a friend who showed him that it wasn't merely a foot race. How it was now an important part of his life. His shoulders began to shake and tears fell down his face.
"He died of cancer. Just like Sam," he said.