In October, espnWs weekly essay series will focus on heroes.I dont remember when I first started running with my dad. There were the early-morning wake-ups to go skiing, the bike rides with strudel as the proverbial carrot and voyages in our inflatable boat that was called?The Challenger.Now, in my late 30s, its the running that has stuck. At 70, my dads pace has slowed, but hes still as religious -- compulsive, as he puts it -- about his running schedule.Every other day, in sun, fog, snow or sleet, my dad pulls on his running outfit -- a mixed-media affair that weve tried to update over the years -- turns on the morning news and begins his physical therapy routine that lasts for about 40 minutes.Then the soft knee braces go on. Followed by the running shoes, sunscreen, and his sweat-stained baseball hat, where the peaks of perspiration have created a mountain range of salt summits across the front.Eventually -- sometimes under duress, or his annoyed shouting from the road -- Ill head outside, and well be off.As we settle into rhythm, the chatting begins. Small talk is not his thing. Sometimes its politics. Elizabeth Warren was at a local fundraiser and was as impressive in person as she seems on television, my father explained. Sometimes its neighborhood news. A tourist had a dog on the beach but got comeuppance when the cops were called, he would retell me.More often than not, its my career. In fact, the trajectory of my adult life can be traced in jogs with my father, and not always fun ones.Among the first was when I was in the throes of a job that had dragged me under. As we rounded the corner of my parents street, the sound of gravel and sand underfoot, I defended my well-paid job as a celebrity reporter.We get in a certain track, my dad told me, professionally. If this wasnt the track I wanted, Id better move on.The toughest jog I ever took with my dad was a few years later, when I had found work, but was struggling.It was August, and steamy. Rivulets of sweat were rolling down my temples, my breath was easy, despite the heat. I couldnt talk to my dad?about how often I was crying alone.I didnt want another nudge to move back East where, my dad said, there was more opportunity. And more educated people. And family. Instead, I just kept moving in the thick summer air. We were on the sand now, bathed in sweat, at low tide.It was time to sprint past the Yankees flag planted in a neighbors yard -- another local affront, but a good end-of-run finish line. We ran hard and high-fived and congratulated ourselves.Six months later, we ran together again. The Santa Monica air was cool and dry, and the sky had that mix of blue and gray that California gets on winter days. We jogged up the tree-lined side streets to my local park, where you could make a few laps or cut them short.He was thrilled with it -- the picnicking families, the planes landing nearby, the bright bougainvillea draping the route like curtains. As we panted along, I told him that things were finally getting better. I was on medication that made me feel like myself again. I was freelancing on top of my day job, and best of all, I had ideas and plans and energy.Over the years, I stopped running on my own as often; between injuries and, frankly, boredom, I lost the will to trot myself around the pretty blocks of Santa Monica, which had begun to feel monotonous. I still made sure to pack my running gear every time I visited my parents.There is, in that repetition, not just a comfort, as I had always seen it, but a profound drive. Jogging isnt my fathers only habit: there is piano -- thats nightly, for two hours before dinner, not including lessons and recitals. And writing, on the mornings hes not jogging, and newspaper-reading, every day, after writing or jogging.At worst, my dads routine is an infuriating rigidity that has overridden all kinds of other things -- earlier dinnertimes, for starters. At best, its pure dedication, a devotion to making time to breathe and think.For me, its been the subconscious push to keep going when its cold and rainy, when Id rather stay in bed, and when theres a wrong turn and no end in sight.Whether my dads running habit is a function of a strong work ethic or a fanatical compulsion doesnt really matter. In a literal sense, jogging with him for 30 minutes every other day has been the comforting habit I get to come home to, no matter what season it is. Air Max 95 China Wholesale . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Cheap Air Max 95 Wholesale . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. http://www.airmax95wholesale.com/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Air Max 95 Cheap Sale .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Nike Air Max 95 Sale Outlet .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. MILWAUKEE -- Tyler Cloyd did what he was supposed to do, and the Philadelphia Phillies got where they wanted to be for a long time. Delmon Young homered, Cloyd allowed four hits over 6 2-3 scoreless innings, and the Phillies moved above .500 for the first time this season with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night. Coming off a three-game sweep of Miami that pulled the Phillies even for the first time since they were 6-6 on April 14, the season-high fifth consecutive win improved their record to 31-30. "Were happy that some hard work is starting to pay off," Michael Young said after batting leadoff for the first time in almost 10 years. "Were starting to see it in the standings. Were very happy with that style of play right now. We just want to make sure we keep doing that. Keep pushing the envelope." Cloyd had a big hand in helping the team get above .500. "He took us where we wanted to go in the game," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "When you allow two runs or less, you stand a real good chance of winning the game. Cloyd (2-2) limited Milwaukee to singles by Jean Segura, Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez through 6 2-3 innings. When Norichika Aoki singled with two out in the seventh, Manuel brought in Justin De Fratus who retired Segura on a grounder to second. Philadelphia scored in four of five innings against Milwaukee starter Wily Peralta (4-7). "Tonight, we got a good start right out of the gate," Manuel said. Cloyd walked and scored on Mayberrys double in the second. Domonic Brown scored in the third when Erik Kratz hit into a fielders choice. "We got some runners on," Manuel said. "We got some runs out of it." Delmon Young homered in the fifth for his fifth home run in his last 15 games after only having one through his first 17. Milwaukees run came in the eighth off Mike Adams when Braun walked, stole second, advanced on a groundout and scored on Jonathan Lucroys grounder to third. The game was a rematch of Cloyds and Peraltas previous start. Cloyd lost 4-3 to Peralta on June 1 in Philadelphia, but didnt let that happen again. No Brewer got past second base despite his four walks. In the loss to Peralta five days ago, Cloyd went seeven innings, allowing three runs, two earned, eight hits with a walk and three strikeouts.dddddddddddd Peralta pitched seven innings, allowed two runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out six, matching his season-high and picked up a rare victory. This time, Peralta threw 30 of his 99 pitches in a shaky first inning as the Phillies went ahead 2-0. Michael Young opened the game with a single. John Mayberry followed with a single and Jimmy Rollins did the same to load the bases and put Peralta in trouble right away. "I led off for about two years," Young said. "Probably right around the All-Star Break of 04, thats all she wrote." Ryan Howards sacrifice fly brought in Young. Peralta walked the next batter to load the bases again. With Delmon Young at bat, he bounced a pitch in the dirt that rolled away from catcher Lucroy allowing John Mayberry to score on the wild pitch. Peralta regrouped and struck out Young and retired Kratz on a comebacker to the mound. That performance wasnt what Brewers manager Ron Roenicke expected from Peralta. "He just didnt throw the ball where he wanted to," Roenicke said. "A couple ground balls the first two guys and then his command left him. He didnt have his slider today. The hard one he kept trying to throw and he couldnt command it, so he went to a softer slider." Peralta gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings, walked four and struck out two, losing for the fifth time in his last six starts. The fourth inning was the only one he kept the Phillies off the board. NOTES: Brewers LHP Tom Gorzelanny will make a spot start Sunday against Philadelphia. Hes replacing RHP Marco Estrada who went on the disabled list Wednesday with a strained left hamstring. ... Braun was back in the lineup after sitting out Wednesdays game with a lingering thumb problem. ... Brown was the first Phillies player to hit 10 home runs over a 12-game stretch since Ryan Howard did it Aug. 28-Sept. 8, 2006. ... LHP Cliff Lee (7-2, 2.45 ERA) goes for his fourth consecutive win for Philadelphia on Friday. RHP Alfredo Figaro (0-0, 3.67 ERA), a reliever pressed into the rotation, makes his second start for Milwaukee. ... Michael Young had three singles for Philadelphia. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '