In October, espnWs weekly essay series will focus on heroes.I dont remember when I first started running with my dad. There were the early-morning wake-ups to go skiing, the bike rides with strudel as the proverbial carrot and voyages in our inflatable boat that was called?The Challenger.Now, in my late 30s, its the running that has stuck. At 70, my dads pace has slowed, but hes still as religious -- compulsive, as he puts it -- about his running schedule.Every other day, in sun, fog, snow or sleet, my dad pulls on his running outfit -- a mixed-media affair that weve tried to update over the years -- turns on the morning news and begins his physical therapy routine that lasts for about 40 minutes.Then the soft knee braces go on. Followed by the running shoes, sunscreen, and his sweat-stained baseball hat, where the peaks of perspiration have created a mountain range of salt summits across the front.Eventually -- sometimes under duress, or his annoyed shouting from the road -- Ill head outside, and well be off.As we settle into rhythm, the chatting begins. Small talk is not his thing. Sometimes its politics. Elizabeth Warren was at a local fundraiser and was as impressive in person as she seems on television, my father explained. Sometimes its neighborhood news. A tourist had a dog on the beach but got comeuppance when the cops were called, he would retell me.More often than not, its my career. In fact, the trajectory of my adult life can be traced in jogs with my father, and not always fun ones.Among the first was when I was in the throes of a job that had dragged me under. As we rounded the corner of my parents street, the sound of gravel and sand underfoot, I defended my well-paid job as a celebrity reporter.We get in a certain track, my dad told me, professionally. If this wasnt the track I wanted, Id better move on.The toughest jog I ever took with my dad was a few years later, when I had found work, but was struggling.It was August, and steamy. Rivulets of sweat were rolling down my temples, my breath was easy, despite the heat. I couldnt talk to my dad?about how often I was crying alone.I didnt want another nudge to move back East where, my dad said, there was more opportunity. And more educated people. And family. Instead, I just kept moving in the thick summer air. We were on the sand now, bathed in sweat, at low tide.It was time to sprint past the Yankees flag planted in a neighbors yard -- another local affront, but a good end-of-run finish line. We ran hard and high-fived and congratulated ourselves.Six months later, we ran together again. The Santa Monica air was cool and dry, and the sky had that mix of blue and gray that California gets on winter days. We jogged up the tree-lined side streets to my local park, where you could make a few laps or cut them short.He was thrilled with it -- the picnicking families, the planes landing nearby, the bright bougainvillea draping the route like curtains. As we panted along, I told him that things were finally getting better. I was on medication that made me feel like myself again. I was freelancing on top of my day job, and best of all, I had ideas and plans and energy.Over the years, I stopped running on my own as often; between injuries and, frankly, boredom, I lost the will to trot myself around the pretty blocks of Santa Monica, which had begun to feel monotonous. I still made sure to pack my running gear every time I visited my parents.There is, in that repetition, not just a comfort, as I had always seen it, but a profound drive. Jogging isnt my fathers only habit: there is piano -- thats nightly, for two hours before dinner, not including lessons and recitals. And writing, on the mornings hes not jogging, and newspaper-reading, every day, after writing or jogging.At worst, my dads routine is an infuriating rigidity that has overridden all kinds of other things -- earlier dinnertimes, for starters. At best, its pure dedication, a devotion to making time to breathe and think.For me, its been the subconscious push to keep going when its cold and rainy, when Id rather stay in bed, and when theres a wrong turn and no end in sight.Whether my dads running habit is a function of a strong work ethic or a fanatical compulsion doesnt really matter. In a literal sense, jogging with him for 30 minutes every other day has been the comforting habit I get to come home to, no matter what season it is.Pittsburgh Penguins Shirts . 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Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34.MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola brought down the footballing superpower he helped to create, leading Manchester City to a 3-1 win over Barcelona in a landmark Champions League result for the English club on Tuesday.The victory that City and its Abu Dhabi ownership has craved since joining the Europe elite in 2011 was achieved the hard way, too, coming after Lionel Messi gave Barcelona a 21st-minute lead with his 90th goal in the Champions League.City took advantage of a defensive error to equalize through Ilkay Gundogan in the 39th minute and swarmed all over Barcelona in the second half, with a free kick from Kevin De Bruyne and Gundogans second goal completing the comeback.City has modeled itself on Barcelona -- in the boardroom, on the field and most recently in the dug-out by bringing in Guardiola, who coached Barcelona to 14 trophies from 2008-12 and turned the Messi-inspired team into perhaps the greatest club side ever.For that reason, it will be the sweetest of wins for City.Now we realize we won against the best team (in the world), Guardiola said. For the future generations, they are going to realize, `Wow, these guys are able to beat the best team.It was also crucial in the short term for City, reigniting its Group C campaign that would have been on the rocks with a loss at Etihad Stadium. City is now two points behind first-placed Barcelona after four games, with both teams big favorites to progress to the last 16.For 38 minutes, Barcelona looked like rolling to a sixth straight win over City in the last four seasons in the Champions League, the most recent being a 4-0 victory in Camp Nou two weeks ago. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said it was one of the best passages of play his team has ever produced, with Citys defense carved open by the potent front three of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.Messis goal came at the end of a length-of-the field counterattack, which started after a City free kick was cleared. Citys defending was reckless, with its deepest defender 10 meters inside Barcelonas half when Messi fired a crossfield pass toward Neymar to instigate the move.Neymar ran to the edge off the area and timed his pass perfectly to the onrushing Messi, who took the ball in his stride before gliding between two defenders and placing a low shot inside the near post.ddddddddddddThe turning point in the match was an error from Barcelona right back Sergi Roberto, whose inside pass to Sergio Busquets was wayward and collected by Sergio Aguero. He slipped in Raheem Sterling, who had the vision to slide a cross over to Gundogan to tap in left-footed at the far post.When you concede a goal in that way, it is normal that you go through a bad period, Luis Enrique said.That bad period lasted the rest of the game.Barcelona was without defenders Gerard Pique, Jeremy Mathieu and Jordi Alba through a mixture of injury and suspension, as well as injured playmaker Andres Iniesta. Those losses told in the second half, when the makeshift defense made errors and Busquets -- the usually unflappable deep-lying midfielder -- was swamped and rattled.De Bruyne, pushed into a more central and attacking role for the second half, was at the heart of everything, on and off the ball.Following Busquets foul from behind on David Silva, De Bruyne curled a 25-meter free kick over the wall and beyond flailing goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, whose slight sideways movement as De Bruyne approached the ball appeared to unbalance him.The Belgium playmaker then provided a stunning through-ball to Jesus Navas in the lead-up to the third goal, which was slammed in by Gundogan from close range in the 74th. Navas cross hit the arm of Aguero, who had the goal at his mercy, but the ball fell kindly for Gundogan to slam home from close range.We started a bit nervously, Gundogan said, but after we scored, we had our confidence back and the second half was incredible. We dominated Barcelona.City will advance with a draw at third-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach in round five, provided Barcelona doesnt lose at Celtic. Barcelona only needs a point to secure a place in the knockout stage for a 13th straight season. ' ' '