Like grandfather, like father, like son

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This article was published 16/06/2018 (2287 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dylan Bronk followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps Sunday when he crossed the Manitoba Marathon finish line, becoming the third generation Bronk to compete in the annual race.

Bob Bronk, his father, and his grandfather, Arie Bronk, ran in the marathon’s inaugural race in 1979. Forty years later, they stood in the stands at the Investors Group Field, cheering the 29-year-old runner on as he completed the 42-kilometre race, clocking in at 3:49:43.

“My goal is to be under three hours and 48 minutes, because that’s what my father got,” Dylan told the Free Press during a phone interview the night before the race. “So three hours and 47 minutes would be great.”

He didn’t know his exact time right when he was catching his breath on the field during a post-race interview, but he said that if he didn’t beat his dad, he’d have to do it again.

“It was under four hours, so I’m happy,” Dylan said, his face still flushed. “But if I can beat my dad, that’s the ultimate.”

With sweat dripping down his forehead, the Toronto native joined his relatives in the stands with his first marathon medal around his neck.

“Here he is, the concrete hero!” said Bob, who grew up in Winnipeg but moved to Ontario for university and raised a family there – Dylan and his two brothers and sister.

“I don’t know how grandpa did it in three hours and 20 minutes,” Dylan said. “That was hard.”

Arie, the grandfather who turns 81 on Wednesday, chuckled and patted his grandson on the back. He has competed in the event six times and ran his personal best at age 45. “I’ve still got 20 years to catch up,” Dylan told his grandpa in response.

Arie said it was a very special Father’s Day. Arie said he was both proud and pleased to hear his grandson wanted to make sure his first-ever marathon was in Winnipeg. Dylan, too, said he’s proud, but of his father and grandfather.

“They’ve worked hard to stay healthy throughout their lives,” he said. “Hopefully, one day I can pass that on to one of my children.”

Arie said he misses running, but had to give it up when his knees gave out. “I’d love to somehow do just one more,” the East Kildonan resident said.

Bob, 58, also opted out of the full-length marathon Sunday because of knee troubles. But his knees didn’t stop him from running the 10-km race.

He grew up playing football on the East Side Eagles, East Kildonan Lions and Winnipeg Rods before playing for Queen’s University and being drafted to the Toronto Argonauts. His knees have both undergone ACL reconstruction surgery and his right knee was scoped.

“Until the very last piece of cartilage is gone, I’ll be pounding the pavement.”

After his race, waiting for his dad to join him on the bleachers to cheer on Dylan, he was icing both of his knees under tightly wrapped tensor bandages.

Meanwhile, some 28 people visited the marathon’s pop-up medical centre Sunday for various injuries. (That number doesn’t include runners who visited the on-site health care volunteers or the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service employees at the event.)

Anthony Morham, a doctor who was assessing patients from the mini-hospital in the basement of the stadium, said they mostly dealt with allergies, asthmatic attacks, dehydration, hypothermia, muscle spasms and torn ligaments Sunday.

“It’s been a bit heavier than we thought it would be in the clinic today,” he said, adding that 28 is a regular number but that they had expected the cooler weather would make for fewer visits than in previous years.

The temperature hovered around 17 C and climbed to 23 C, with a mix of clouds and sunshine, throughout the morning.

Eight people were taken to hospital in an ambulance, a city spokesperson said Sunday afternoon.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @macintoshmaggie