Frontrunners: An Extended Family, by Jack Hilovsky

I joined Seattle Frontrunners around the turn-of-the-century (that makes me sound so old!). Yes, it was the year 2000, and I had been swimming with the Seattle Orca Swim Team for 2 years and sought to diversify my exercise routine with another activity. I began running in high school when I was 16. Never very fast, I just wanted to get in shape with a good cardio workout and at the time was pursuing my Red Cross lifesaving certificate to become a lifeguard, my teen dream job.

When I began running with Frontrunners I was happy to meet such a friendly group. Long-time Team President Jon Nicholson invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner, I commuted to Greenlake with several other guys from Capitol Hill since I didn't own a car and there was no light rail, plus I discovered a healthy, shall I say addictive, way to spend my Saturday mornings.

Frontrunners, as well as the Orca Swim Club, turned into an extended family for me since the majority of mine live in Cleveland and the surrounding Midwest. I've grown to appreciate the long-term and newly-evolving friendships and relationships I've developed over the years. I've aged well thanks to my continued involvement with the group though I've had to scale back on my enjoyment of the potlucks and the king-sized table of tempting treats.

While I've participated in Run & Walk with Pride several times throughout the years, and also trained for a few triathlons, I "retired" from running three years ago after an X-ray, and then a CAT scan, revealed thinning meniscus in my right knee, likely due to a skiing accident, and successive sporting injuries, in my twenties. I decided I would preserve the knee for other activities I loved like cycling, hiking, tennis, and swimming rather than risk further injury. And I comforted myself with the knowledge that I could continue to show up at Saturday morning runs and instead walk fast around the lake resulting in just as good a workout.

This summer my attendance at Saturday morning runs has been spotty due to travels, weekends away, and just plain chilling. But now that the leaves are falling and the smoke is lifting, I look forward to getting back into the swing of things.

P.S. If you hadn't heard I published a coming-of-age story about my struggle to come to terms with my sexuality as a teen growing up in Cleveland. It's funny and poignant, and I'd love for you to read it! If you haven't nabbed a copy RJ, Farrah and Me: A Young Man's Gay Odyssey From the Inside Out is available at University Bookstore, Madison Books, Nook & Cranny and Third Place Books (Seward Park), or you can order on Amazon. Thanks for your support!

Jack Hilovsky

He/Him