Run To Celebrate

There are many reasons why people run. Many like the exercise, some (like New Brendan Ward) enjoy the “intimacy with the ground,” and running through nature, others like to run people into the ground and beat the competition. Well, Sneaker Factorians, today I ran to celebrate. Amongst the other reasons I celebrate (primarily celebrating being an American), today I ran with many other Factorians to celebrate our founders new bionic knee. That’s right Factorians, Not-So-Mean Dean Shonts has been transformed into Steve “The Million Dollar Man” Austin and has himself a brand new knee!

Today was the first ever “Run With Deans Knee.” And while we hope that we can all meet again for such a great time, we do hope that in the future it is not to celebrate Dean needing to have another knee replacement. A Dean Shonts party is never complete without a party favor, specifically BEER. This particular party favor brought the people out in DROVES to meet the new knee. Friends of Dean from all over the state gathered together to run, receive beer (not to be drank in the park, of course), and celebrate Dean.

The day was filled with friends and fitness. Oddly enough, one friend who was not there, was Joe Jacobs… Unfortunately, my friend Joe Jacobs had to rep Sneaker Factory at a hill-filled bicycle race somewhere not at the Reservoir. I would be remiss if I didn’t admit I missed getting the opportunity to spend some quality time with my Northern friend. My personally favorite attendee, other than Dean and Betty, two wonderful Americans who have given so much to our community of runners, was this character who is simply known as Quiet Storm. Quiet Storm arrived on the scene early, decked out in some of Saucony’s finest performance running wear, and an American flag bandanna. Is it pyossible that I have found my rival for the Most-American Award this year? After having been given a scare by Manasquan High great Owen Boyle in 2007, this runner gave me a terrific scare, I was terribly concerned. Truth be told, I still am- I believe this Quiet Storm bleeds Red, White, and Blue just like me, and he kicked my butt on the run.

But I digress. This day was not about me, the Storm, or Joe Jacobs being wherever Joe Jacobs goes. It was about Dean, naturally. While his knee is in amazing shape, Dean unfortunately pulled a hamstring chasing down a liger in the jungles Shark River Hills, and unfortunately had to spend his time walking.  Did this stop him from having a straight up amazing time? Of course not! He is DEAN SHONTS! Sneaker Factorians, today we celebrated in the best way we know how- we ran. We ran and we enjoyed the company of each other.

With more to come, this is Dr. Love, your Sneaker Factorian Guru, signing out!

P.S.- Stay tuned for a juicy sub-plot to this story.