During the initial days of the TRRC gear on-line sales we received an email with a question about ordering from someone in Gloucester MA. The person’s last name wasn’t familiar but in the ensuing email conversations we came to know this woman’s story and how she found her way to our gear-selling website. Most of what you’ll read next comes from the emails she sent, with a bit of editing on our end. Her story speaks so powerfully to the relationship between a parent and child and the love and passion for a sport they shared. We hope you enjoy Jessica Redis’ running story. “Even though I live in MA now, I’m still a member of Taconic. My dad signed me up in 1981 at the ripe age of 4! My dad passed away suddenly 12 hours after my first Ultra in November 2022 and tomorrow [that date was April 22, 2023] is my birthday. Your merchandise email came at the perfect time.” (note: Jessica grew up in Yorktown and her mom still lives in their family home).We asked if she minded telling us more about her dad and her own running journey (and if she’d mind us sharing the story with our members) and this was her response:“I would be so honored if you did that and I know he would be too. You can share anything you think is appropriate, his name is Bob Redis and he ran the NYC Marathon many times (his father, Carl Redis, was a sprinter)
… and I’m on day 1,141 of a running streak. These days, aside from the streak, I run mountains (the USATF-NE mountain goat series and Mt. Washington). I’m not fast but I’m persistent. My last conversation with him was from the car after my ultra, giving him the play by play. My mom says he spent all day checking my location and full of pride. And then 12 hours later he was gone. Running has been a thread throughout my life and our relationship. To say he meant the world to me would be an understatement. And the gift of running that he gave me is priceless. I miss him dearly. As with the gear, the timing (of our email conversations) couldn’t be more poignant. And I’m looking forward to sporting my new gear at my mountain races.” 
Jessica sent along some photos of her dad and her siblings, sharing the sport they loved. Among the photos was a picture of a Taconic Road Runners Club membership card for Jessica, dated 1981 (and applied for by her dad) when she was 4 years old (who even knew there were membership cards?). 
Sister Courtenay on the left and Jessica on the right.Jessica counts her first race all the way back to 1979, when she was 18 months old and her dad competed while pushing her in a stroller. 
She said, “My dad had us all out there running. Both my parents, Robert and Patricia and my siblings (Casey and Courtenay) have all run TRR races, but probably most recently for them in the 1980’s. And then we found this “gem” in an old issue of Taconic Running Life which tied the Redis family story together. 
When sent a copy of the article Jessica wrote: “You are correct! (about the article having been written by her mom). And I’m the sleeping infant she’s referencing (with my 5 y.o. sister and 6.5 y.o. brother also referenced). Running has always been a part of my family. Always. My mother reminded me of this article after I ran similar repeats caring for my brother’s 8 year old son while they were in the hospital birthing their baby girl in 2020. My mom just left this morning after spending the weekend with me here in MA, to return to the home in Yorktown she did those repeats in front of.”We want to thank Jessica for sharing this special story and felt it particularly meaningful with Father’s Day approaching. It would be great to hear from anyone who knew or ran with Jessica’s dad, Bob Redis, as we’d love to share those recollections with her (with permission of course). Or perhaps you were a schoolmate or young runner competing alongside Jessica and her siblings. If so – let us know.And Jessica’s final words: “Thank god for running”.Happy Father’s Day!
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