Nick Barracca runs as a way of connecting to and honoring his grandfather.
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The Good Men Project Sports asked why we run?
In this feature series, we share your answers.
This is from Nick Barracca:
I ran a bit in high school for exercise, but I didn’t actively run until I went college in Washington D.C.
The nation’s capital is considered the most active city in the country and boasts great parks such as the National Mall and Rock Creek Park. But my main motivation to go out and run came from my grandfather’s encouragement.
My grandfather is an athlete who has been active as long as I can remember. In his 60s and 70s, he was running 5 miles every day in retirement after a lengthy career as a Coast Guard Captain and secondary career as a teacher. He obtained his master’s degree at the same university I attend, and he is one of my roles models who I’ve looked up to because his public service, dedication to family, and strong moral code.
With my grandfather on then West Coast and me on the East, we stayed in touch through phone calls. On our calls, we would share our running stories, and he would reminisce about his scenic runs along the Tidal Basin during the Cherry Blossom Festival or late night monument runs past the Lincoln Memorial.
During the fall of my junior year, I told him over the phone that a few of my friends had completed the Marine Corps Marathon and that eventually I would try and train for a marathon. He quickly responded, “You know I ran the Marine Corps Marathon while I was stationed in northern Virginia?” Surprised, I joked how I should run it next year, which foreshadowed a serious “you really should” response. After giving it some more thought, I couldn’t think of a better way to honor my grandfather than by training for the Marine Corp Marathon before my last year of college.
Even during the worst humid, summer days, I would call my grandfather to give him updates about my training. He would give me alternative routes to mix up my training and even sent me a training care package. He generously sent his 1982 Coast Guard racing jersey he wore during his race, the 1982 finisher’s jersey, and his certificate of completion. While I couldn’t wear the shirts on race day, I held a completion picture with one of the shirts at the end of my race and immediately sent the photo to him. He quickly responded with love that he was tracking me online and was extremely honored by my gesture. It was the greatest family feeling I could have experienced from one coast of the country to the other.
This family motivation and connection has driven me to continue running.
Since that first race, I’ve gone on to complete 6 marathon or half marathon distance races and have 4 more planned for the rest of the year. In my last full marathon, I even joined a charity team in honor of a different member who suffered from Parkinson’s disease. I talk with my grandfather over the phone to discuss my training and what other races I should look into.
My grandfather ran the Marine Corp Marathon a full 25 minutes faster than I did at twice my age.
My next goal is to eventually beat his personal record and hold the family record.
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Browse the over thirty posts we have thus far Good Men Project Sports’ Why We Run Series here.
#33: Now… For Myself Alone <<
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Photo Credit: AP Photo/