Back in the late fall we introduced you to our Quality Control Manager, Sam Gaenz, the first member of our Boston Marathon #RunWithRainier team. You may remember his story that included addiction, recovery, running and community service that is an inspiration to all of us. If you missed his story or want to refresh your memory – check it out here.

Over the past few months, we’ve been checking in on Sam and his training. Throughout the fall Sam was struggling with lower back pain that was making training hard and running virtually impossible. He first tried rest, and then physical therapy and when he wasn’t experiencing any improvement in the New Year, went to a specialist who diagnosed him with a severe bulged disk.

This isn’t the first time Sam has experienced a setback related to a bulged disk. A life in physical labor comes with some pains and strains and he’s bounced back from 3 previous injuries with about a month of recovery each time so he expected the same this go around. The first four weeks amounted to no improvement and another 3 months of PT realized only minimal improvements. It was clear this was very, very different.

This time is different. Sam’s doctor pointed out that not only was this injury a severely bulged disk, he was showing signs of osteoarthritis, presumably from the previous injuries. After a visit with a specialist the current treatment plan is time…possibly up to a year to allow the disk to heal on its own.

And with all the grace and strength we’ve come to expect from Sam, this is what he had to say:

“With no specific need to train, I guess time is what I’ve got now. I initially struggled with the decision to give up my running spot. I wanted this challenge. I wanted the demands of training and the commitment it required. I did not want to quit running. But for the first time in my life, running, a sport that had given me joy and freedom had become painful and it’s very difficult to stay motivated when something is painful and not fun.

Just like my years of sobriety have taught me, I need to continue looking forward, not back. I don’t have any plans to run a marathon unless the chance to run Boston comes up again. Because honestly, if you can say you ran a marathon – just one – and it was Boston; now that’s a story worth telling. April 1 is my tentative date to lace up my running shoes and see how I feel. I’m certain there are more relays and half marathons left in these legs as long as my runs are pain free and I can find the joy in running again.

Regardless of what I run next, or even if I don’t run at all, I’ve learned that life doesn’t always go as planned and maybe the Boston goal wasn’t meant to be part of my story – at least right now. Most importantly, we make adjustments; we make new plans, set new goals and continue moving forward accepting the blessings that the good Lord has made for us. Life is short, the plan will always change, but live today like there’s no tomorrow, that’s how I’m living my life.”

And speaking of plans, Sam is happy to report he has a new granddaughter on the way and he’s sure that she will keep him busy along with his other children and grandchildren. And don’t think he won’t be cheering Boston Strong come April.

“Giving up my chance to run the Boston Marathon was hard, but I want to tell you I’m ABSOLUTELY ECSTATICALLY EXCITED that Scott Blackledge has been given the chance to run Boston in my place. Whatever disappointment I felt was quickly replaced by the pride I felt knowing that my friend and co-worker would be taking my place. Scott is a great ambassador for our company. He & I have run hundreds of miles together over the years. Maybe that was the plan all along as we trained our bodies and our minds for something else. This will be the highlight of his running career and I will be right there helping to motivate him during his training and cheering him on every step of the way to the finish line.”

Our sponsorship of the Boston Marathon might have been about apples in the beginning, but what we’ve come to learn is it’s really about people. The inspirational stories from our employees, from our customers and from fans, show us the insurmountable power of the human spirit. We believed the connection with the Boston Marathon would connect us to runners and athletes who were striving to reach peak performance. The good news is it has…but more importantly it’s connected us to every athlete that is aspiring to be their best. Sam’s continued grace and courage and selfless behavior epitomize the spirit of all of our employees at Rainier Fruit. We cannot say thank you enough for how you continue to give the best of yourselves to our company and to our customers by producing and delivering the best fruit and who you commit to each other and to our community in humble service to a power greater than yourselves – that is #WholesomeToTheCore.

Stay tuned to learn more about Scott, our new Boston Marathon #RunWithRainier team member in a future post.