I did it for you....

Dear Chief and Ilyse:

I know it's been awhile since we've talked, but really, I do always think about y'all and I'm writing this time because I have to thank you.

You may not know this. Heck, nobody really knows this because I really haven't talked about it...but I did something on Friday, July 4th, 2014 in your honor. I did something that I know you both would have been never thought I'd do, but once I made my mind up, you knew I'd accomplish it.

I ran in the Peachtree Road Race here in Atlanta along with 60,000 or so others. The race, billed as the worlds largest 10K is an Atlanta tradition.

But you know that.

I ran it because I wanted to do something to honor you both with an accomplishment. Sure, there was the sense of accomplishment for me. It's something I always thought would be cool to say I've done. And something that I can say I've done before I reached the age of 50.

I did it.

Sure, the training has been a challenge, but you both know how much I love a good challenge. And yeah, I know, I hated to run as a kid, even though I had to for sports. I always preferred to just play my way in shape, which was good enough to a point...

I also had gotten fat. I got out of shape. And you both know I was always athletic growing up. Fast too. To see the look on the faces of Coach Peterson and the other basketball coaches at Lake Brantley when I ran a 4.79 and 4.80 40-yard dash back-to-back was priceless.

But as I got older and work got in the way I didn't play so much. Heck, after my ankle injury and surgeries I didn't think I'd ever be able to do much athletically any more.

I got past it.

Dad, you'd be proud and I know you were smiling while I ran. I've lost so much weight (40lbs in two years), I look a lot healthier and younger than I ever have. (Except for my ever graying beard)

And Ilyse, you'd be smiling too because you always knew how much I wanted to accomplish things. You more than anyone always knew how much I hated to lose...at anything. And that I could never be happy unless I was successful in whatever I did.

That in large part is why I'm thanking you both. You both were my inspiration. You both helped me decide that I had the strength to pull this off. I wish so much that you both could have been there with Michelle to see what I did. The smile on her face when she found me at the Family Meet-up area made the both of us well up and nearly cry.

I'm sorry that I haven't gotten to come see both of you lately, it's been tough. We've been very busy and have our hands full dealing with Michelle's mom. But we take some solace knowing things have settled down a bit in South Carolina and that we don't have to rush down there and help everyone.

I'll try my best to write more often, because really, you both know I express my thoughts and feelings better this way than talking out loud about them. For whatever reason, I've always been that way.

But again, you both know that.

I miss you both terribly and I wanted to let you know in the best way that I could how much you both helped me. I hope you are both having a good laugh and Ilyse I know is keeping you honest dad. Because that's what she always does.

If everything works out, we are going to come visit next week. Michelle and I will smile real big, say a big and hearty hello and be very happy in the knowledge that you both are immensely proud of us.

Much love,

Phil