100 miles

Hi,
I have to tell you about Dr. Robert Gryfe, he's my dad's surgeon at Mount Sinai. An interesting guy.....

Dr. Gryfe is 45 years old but looks about 26. Tall 6'2", very lean, short dark hair, funky eyeglasses and a great sense of humor. I thought my dad got it wrong when he told me Dr.G. runs 100 miles in one day. I was sure he heard it incorrectly. Nope, that is exactly what was said. Dr.G. runs 100 miles (or more) in ONE day.

When I met the doctor for the first time on Tuesday my first impression was "He's the surgeon?" Robert looked like a complete nerd loping around the pre-op area and far too young for this job... more like a computer geek in high school. Wrong on all accounts. He's the best at this surgery according to the head nurses and they know!

After talking to my dad about the operation he was about to perform, and being very respectful to me, I had to ask him about the running-thing.
"100 miles a day, really?"
"yup, but not every day."
"That's good to hear, so you're not totally crazy, just occasionally nuts."
"yup"
I like this guy!

Turns out he's into 'extreme sport running marathons'. That's an understatement. He got into running in med school and never stopped, like Forest Gump I guess. He runs 15 minute miles during these events (hey, I can run that! only 3 in a row, not 100) and it can take him any where from 24-36 hours at a time. Yes, he runs for a full day or more at one time. Let me print that again for all of you who are still shaking your head.... at ONE time! I had a hard time imagining this also. His favorite race was in Death Valley, in 120° heat, for 30 hours. It's called "The Death Race"... can you guess why? Duh!

Over the last 2 days I have quizzed Robert on his need to do these races. He does as many as 5 in a year... not crazy just once, but multiple times, oy vey. He says that it's not about speed, because he certainly isn't a fast runner, it's the endurance that he likes. I think he's addicted to salt, or punishment, maybe both. I know he's a doctor but I can't believe he would abuse his body this way. Okay, I am jealous of his long legs but I wouldn't be trying to wear them out so quickly if they were mine.   

He is a great surgeon, dad is doing wonderful, and one very nice man with a perfect bedside manor. Yesterday when we talked about his running he told us about his zaidie (grandfather). Zaidie asked Robert one day (use a strong European-Jewish accent when you read this)
"So, when you run these races, do you run on a course?"
''yeah Zadie"
"So you start at one end... and you end up at the same place you started?"
"yeah Zadie, back at the beginning again... "
"You run 100 miles, only to end up where you started? So why run? Mishuga*!"
Those of you with Zaidies will completely understand that conversation and why we laughed so hard in hearing Robert re-tell it.

xox
m
*"Mishuga" translates into "crazy"in Yiddish, in case you didn't figure it out for yourself  ;)