The Story of Matthew Thompson and His Dad:

Christi Beth:

You and the crew you surround yourself with are the kind of people who genuinely care about their job and couldn't hide it if you tried. For your help. your smiles and encouragement, I want to thank you and all we have met at Fleet Feet.

I want to share our story - one about a son and an aging Dad.

A year ago my son came home from school and asked if he could collect money for Ellie's Run for Africa. Of course, my wife and I said yes. Then the second question came - Can I run in the 5k race? Without hesitation, my wife and I said yes. How hard can 5 kilometers be for a 10 year old - that's metric running not real miles or anything. Then my son's last question came - Dad will you run with me? Without hesitation, my wife said sure he will Matthew!

This brief conversation started our relationship with Fleet Feet and has brought my son and I closer than I ever thought imaginable. We had to get good sneakers for this run so we came into the store for the first time. Matt worked very hard and patiently with us and we walked out with our first pair of honest to goodness running shoes. We also signed up for the No Boundaries program that day. The first training session came and I can remember vividly watching my son scamper over the horizon with Matt by his side and me wondering if my chest was going to explode. We both ran that first 5k in under 30 minutes. I was proud of us - we made a commitment and stuck to it. A week went by and we both looked and each other and said lets do another.

Together we ran more 5k's and worked our way up to the Franklin Classic 10k. Matthew's Uncle (my brother), who is a marathoner and triathlete, even flew in from Florida just to run a 5k with us! Our family history and unity was growing with every race, every phone call, email and dinner conversation, Matthew joined the cross country team at his school and loves it and is good at it too!!!!

Last summer, my brother challenged me to run the Disney Half Marathon with him. He said it would be fun. NEVER in the history of the world has and older brother EVER backed down from a challenge from his younger brother, so I casually said sure that does sound like fun. I went to Fleet Feet the very next day and signed up for the Half Marathon training class - I needed help and lots of it. I travel a lot for work and missed most of the training runs but plugged along almost every morning before the newspapers were delivered; running through neighborhoods for practice.

Matthew signed up for the Disney 5k and off we went to Orlando last weekend. Matthew ran on Friday morning at 7:00am. It was 30F and the sun was just coming up. He finished with a time of 26 minutes and looked to be the fastest 11 yr old there. Yes, I was watching and screaming and cheering and when he crossed the finish line I cried and hugged my son and told him how proud of him I was.

The next morning my brother, his wife and I woke up at 2:00am to get ready for a 5:40am start to the half marathon. It was cold - 25F! It was dark, snowing, sleeting and raining - definitely not Florida post card weather. The race started and off we went from EPCOT to the Magic Kingdom and back. My brother, who could run circles around me and most everyone there, ran by my side the entire race! He said it was more fun that way. We crossed the finish line in 2:14. This was 45 minutes slower than my brother would do without me and the best I could do and stay alive. I was feeling pretty puffed up at this moment and very spent. When I met up with Matthew, he did not ask what my time was or what the weather was like of how did I feel - he grabbed me in a big bear hug, squeezed and said Dad I am really proud of you. Yes, I cried again - a lot.

This is what running has done for us. It has brought a Son and Dad, an Uncle, and a Brother closer than every before.

Fleet Feet is the active encouragement and silent supporter for this. Your are the hug for a boy that puts a smile on his face all day. You are the hope that a gray haired Dad can do it. You are a happy place to go.

Thank you Fleet Feet for all you do!