Running into Blaxploitation

I raced yesterday and at the race was asked a question I am asked about every 3 months or so at New York Road Runners Races. That question? "How's your father and is he still running?". Yup - generally it's from someone aged between 50 - 70 years old - before or after a race - for the last 5 years. Since the early 80's I've been told I look like the guy in Miami Vice, the guy in Milli Vanilli, you take a light and curly black guy with green or hazel eyes and people think I'm him. Whatever. But within the "inside runner world of Central Park"? Old timers, etc. who've been doing it a while?....they think I'm that guy on the left. The funny thing is I know that guy on the left, we've met a couple of times, coincidentally dated first cousins way back in the day when he was at Columbia and I was at Dartmouth. That's director - writer Mario Van Peebles - perhaps you know him from the movie New Jack City, Posse, or some straight to DVD bombs he's dropped ha ha ha - Mario's a very cool guy - Here's the story - his father is Melvin Van Peebles, the writer director of the first Blaxploitation film ever made and the person credited for starting the whole genre with his film "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song". For those unaware, Blaxploitation is Shaft, Superfly, etc. those crazy Black movies from the 70's. Melvin Van Peebles, that's him on the right. Believe it or not the guy that created the whole Blaxploitation wave is a hardcore serious runner - has been for a long time too. Way back in '79 he clocked a 2:56 Boston Marathon - he's clocked lots of Marathons & has been running in Central Park for over 30 years. In context to running in Central Park he once said in an interview in Runner's World, "Well. . . the runners in Central Park had a code; they wouldn't speak to me the first times, but after they saw me there a number of times they'd all give me this runner's sign when they went past. They'd say "Hiyed". . . "Hiyed". . . . "Hiyed." And finally I worked it up so I could run all the way around the reservoir, and at the northwest corner I saw a black guy - the first black guy I'd seen running in the park - and I said, "Hiyed," and he said, "How'd you know my name? My name's Ed!" We both sat there howling. . . everybody else in the park had been assuming I - the only other black guy in the Park - was Ed! I've seen him but never met him - however even today in his late 70's he runs - his interview with Runner's World can be read here. It's generally runners that know Melvin Van Peebles that see me running, have met or are familiar with his son Mario - and assume I'm Mario - It's kind of like the "Hiyed" thing - and sometimes when asked "about my father" I simply just say, "oh he's fine - still running" ha ha ha. Have a terrific day everyone.