I’ve seen Felipe Vergara hundreds of times, but until I read this great article, I didn’t know his name. I didn’t know he was 49. I didn’t know that he ran for the elite local club, West Side Runners. I didn’t know that when I see him in the evenings, I’m seeing him clock his second work-out of the day — the book ends to a full time job as a plumber. I didn’t know he supports four kids in Mexico, and I didn’t know he runs a 2:45 marathon.
See some great photos of Felipe, and other runners for WSX here.
All I knew was that if I was in the park around seven on a week night, I’d likely see Vergara and a group of other runners, blasting around the loop at a 6:30 or so pace, or stretching and chatting in Spanish near the Parade Ground entrance. I’d exchange a nod, and that was that. I didn’t know how hard he had worked that day, both on the roads and at his job, and I didn’t know how fast those hours on the roads had made him. But I do now, and I’m inspired.
I hope I get a chance to see him tonight and thank him.