By Laurie Gordon

“Ain’t about how fast I get there. Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side.                                             It’s the climb.”

--Miley Cirus

On Sunday, October 25^th, a 67 year old Fredon man is going to run 53 miles. Crazy? Not for Bruce Wask. He’s been a runner most of his life and this ambitious endeavor is to raise money for Autism. His granddaughter, Alexandra, is autistic and this more-than-double marathon is for her.

Wask will start at the Paulins Kill dam and run to Blairstown and back on the Paulins Kill Trail then the other way, to Sparta and back. His wife, Ginny, will be his support crew meeting him every 60 to 90 minutes to help him refuel with water, sports drinks and gels. “I don't plan on having solid foods as my stomach is not too reliable. Ginny will also have dry clothes in the car, ice, etc,” Wask said. The Wasks have practiced this routine during some of his training runs.

Alexandra is the oldest girl of the Wask‘s nine grand children. She is just starting eighth grade at her school in the Bangor, PA school district. “During the past two years, Alexandra has participated in the school musical, ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ playing a villager, and in the talent show, placing second while singing ‘I want to Hold Your Hand’ and dressed as John Lennon from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.” But Alexandra started school a year late and has had an aide with her in all of her years at school. Alexandra has autism. “On a table in the waiting room of my office there are four pieces of reading material, probably reflecting my own reading tastes,” said Wask, “A hardcover titled ‘Our Finest Hour, the Triumphant Spirit of America's WWII Generation,’ a commemorative issue of the 60th anniversary of LIFE magazine with Marilyn on the cover, a book of Gary Larsen's ‘Far Side’ cartoons and, because of Alexandra, a copy of TIME magazine from May 6 of 2002 with the cover story ‘Inside the World of Autism.’ The article talks of a wide range of autistic disorders and cases ranging from Aspberger's Syndrome to severe autism which can mean institutionalization for some.“

Wask is calling his run "Alexandra's Run: Dawn to Dusk". He said, “I expect to run from dawn to dusk.“

In effort to help his training, Wask gave up his favorite foods, what he calls “the four Cs.” They are: cookies, cake, ice Cream and candy. Upon completion of this adventure, his reward will be wife Ginny’s famous apple pie with mint chocolate chip ice cream and a plate of her even more famous chocolate chip cookies. The weight came off and the miles increased over the spring and summer and about 20 pounds came off making the running a lot easier. Then, on August 21^st, Wask stepped on a rock and sprained his ankle. When the ankle finally started to feel better some weeks later, Wask was hit by a head cold. Consequently, should he not be able to complete the full 53 miles, he’ll at least run from dawn to dusk: his “plan B.”

“If anyone wants to raise money for autism by getting people to sponsor them, they can walk, run, bike or ride any distance they desire that day and we will have someone at the PLA parking lot area to assist them all day long from dawn to dusk, October 25,” he said.

“For a number of years, I've wanted to do something to raise money for dealing with autism. I've had grandiose ideas of doing an Iron Man type triathlon, but the logistics of training for such an undertaking is probably beyond me. So, I've decided to run. Running is something I've done most of my life (I've come out of retirement to run again 243 times) and it's something I enjoy. Unfortunately, running is not something that makes money very easily, especially not at my current running pace. So, I need your help.”

Wask is looking for people to support this run by donating money. Money raised will go toward the training of aides and paraprofessionals who work with autistic children and their families. “Watching these people work with my granddaughter, Alexandra, was eye opening because of the progress she was able to make under their guidance, and the family also learns and at the same time gains a bit of respite.” Wask’s church, Yellow Frame Church, is helping him collect the money. Donations can be made payable to “Yellow Frame - Autism” and mailed to the church: The Yellow Frame Church, 1 Yellow Frame Road, Newton, NJ 07860.