DADS ARE RAD
Being a good dad is a good way to shape good people.
06-20-2020
Fathers have much more on their plates than just “dad duties.” They're helping shape the future every day. They’re trustworthy, they’re dependable, and they’re loaded with life lessons and teachable moments.
This Father’s Day, we aren’t just celebrating dads for the day. We’re sharing the advice they’re passing on to their kids and highlighting how they’re continuing to pave the way to a better, brighter future.
Andy Potts, Altra Elite Athlete
I’ve been a dad for over thirteen years, and I’ve learned a ton along the way! What to do, what not to do, and the fact that how you say something can matter more than what you are saying. One of the biggest lessons that became evident early on in fatherhood was that of all the important things I wanted to impart to my kids, they are teaching me more than I am teaching them.
It finally dawned on me that parenthood is a two-way street! I can share my knowledge with them, and they can open my eyes to the possibilities of humanity at the same time. Just being open to the opportunities in front of me is the way forward. I learned a long time ago that I wanted to do awesome things with awesome people. Being a father is one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. It is one that has grown my heart, one that has grown my mind, and one that has certainly expanded my horizons.
On this Father’s Day, I’d like to say to all the dads out there and all the dads to be, (most importantly to me), Happy Father’s Day, Dad! My dad was the one who started EVERYTHING for me. I also want to say, embrace the relationship with your kids because there is nothing else like it. Be open and accepting of the new life in front of you. It will be hard, but it will be rewarding. It will be everything you thought and way more. It will be an experience, and we need to make sure we are moving forward as a society and as a community. It is up to you to be better. It is up to you to be an example. It is up to you to learn from our best hope—the children of tomorrow!
Happy Father’s Day Dad and happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!
Tyler McCandless, Altra Elite Athlete
There are a lot of parallels with what’s going on in the world today with the sport of running and I feel like we’re in mile 22 of a marathon that is getting very tough. It’s that time when you soul search and figure out how to dig deep, get through the tough miles, and come out better on the other side. My wife Kristin and I have been spending a lot of this “mile 22 of life” discussing how we can best raise our son, Levi, to overcome tough times that can be out of his control and how to be a loving and caring human towards all people.
One positive result of the pandemic has been getting outside together as a family every evening after my workday ends. We hike anywhere from 1-4 miles, simply talking and enjoying the outdoors. We want to make sure our family has the opportunity to have open and honest conversations. When Levi starts talking, we want him to know we will be there to listen. We hope to build a family culture focused on honesty, integrity, and openness so that he always feels like he can tell us what is on his mind.
Another positive result of the pandemic was the move to working from home. In my day job as a Data Scientist, I no longer commute to an office which has allowed me to spend more time with Kristin and Levi and be able to eat lunch together as a family. While working from home may not be a forever thing, I'm cherishing the precious extra minutes per day that we get to spend together.
One challenging aspect of our current environment is trying to provide opportunities and experiences for Levi. Due to the stay at home orders, Levi hasn't spent time with other people besides Kristin and me, and because of this isolation, there are times when a friendly neighbor says hello and chats for too long, he starts crying. However, before Levi was 6 months old, he traveled as far east as New York City and as far west as Kauai with many other trips in between without any similar problems. We want him to see and experience different cultures, people, and communities. We want Levi to experience us running races. We want him to start appreciating what hard work is, and how important it is to follow your goals and passion with the ambition to overcome obstacles along the way, and to rebound from defeats and disappointments. We also want him to give back to others, to raise them up, be there for them when they need it, and celebrate their successes. Right now is a good reminder for me of how important those experiences are to broaden his perspective on life.
We hope that we are nearing the end of this difficult marathon, but the lessons learned will power us forward as a family towards a better, more positive and uplifting next marathon in life. We know that this is not the only marathon we will face, but it has given us great perspective for when the next one gets hard. Ultimately, we will leave this time with a greater sense of gratitude for time with family and friends, getting to the start and finish line of running races, as well as simple things like hugs and high fives!