Steve Prefontaine died in a car accident at the end of May 1975. Without Limits was a movie released in 1998 about him, that is largely overlooked and forgotten but something I still watch on the rare occasions that it comes around. The film concludes with a memorial at the University of Oregon track where he starred. The clock was started and stopped at exactly 3:54.6, his fastest recorded mile time.

Today, May 19th, marks the birth date of Silvio A. Berni, my friend. He passed away on Easter Sunday, 2020 a victim of this insidious virus. He has been on my mind since I got the news, today, while out for a run, I was thinking about how best to honor him. The plan tonight is to crack open a bottle of champagne, put a candle in a cupcake that I’ve been holding onto, and at precisely 5:19 sing a chorus of Happy Birthday and then raise a glass to, what I know, is a smiling forever young man. But i wanted to do more on this particular day when it is still a raw emotion that I’ve not yet fully come to grips with. I thought a nice 5.19 mile run would be nice, but, honestly I’m not “without limits” and I’ve not gone that far in a while. Next best thing…a 5.19K  (that’s about 3.22 miles and that’s right in my wheelhouse, though tougher today since I ran yesterday as well and I’ve been alternating between running and walking, in fact, since Florida this past February, I don’t think I’ve run 3+ miles on consecutive days) However, trying to embrace (at least partially) the sentiment of “without limits” off I went…and lo and behold I stopped at 3.23 miles, teared up a bit, and took a quick look up to the sky. I actually finished the jaunt at 3.38 and for a very brief moment thought about pushing it to 5.19 miles…but my infrequently used “good sense” got the best of me as the last thing I wanted to do was pull something and then be laid up.

Then, something else occurred to me: What if, every year on 5:19 I run a 5.19K? Regardless of the day of the week, regardless of the weather (the treadmill always an option), so ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages….Today officially becomes the inaugural running of the Silvio Berni 5.19K!!  My hope is that next year, if we can again gather together, that more can join in and maybe, just maybe, if I make the right connections, it can become a small event, with t-shirts, medals, and yes, beer.

I am going on the record today: I vow, as long as I am upright and able, to get a 5.19k run in on this day each year. That run will always be called The Silvio Berni 5+k

Who’s In???

For no reason other than I know it would make him laugh, here is a picture of the two of us taken in June of 1976: (I’m the handsome guy on the right with the long hair)

Happy Birthday my friend!