Distant Heroes
Filed under: — Joan @ 8:40 am
If anyone is interested, here’s an article I wrote for Running Times on how to exit the athletic stage gracefully.
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Hello Joan,
I have previously read and enjoyed this article. Did you, or do you plan to, develop it into a full length book as indicated?
I came across this site while doing some other research. I appreciate your comments on parenthood and running and on the druggies.
Paul
Comment by Paul Muto — 4/2/2005 @ 4:07 pm
Hello Paul,
Thanks for your comment. I had every intention of finishing the book, but my third child has kept me too busy. The best thing about receiving the grant from USA Track & Field to do the research for Distant Heroes was a week ALONE to read and think and write. Perhaps when Lizzie is in kingergarten, 18 months from now, I will take another stab at it. Until then, I will have to settle for McReading, McThinking, and McWriting (otherwise known as blogging).
Cheers, joan
Comment by Joan — 4/2/2005 @ 8:44 pm
Joan,
Your interview with Jack Bacheler and the others really resonated. I wasn’t national or world class like you guys (well, I guess I was national class as a Master since I was top ten, usually top 5, in the National Masters races I ran - with my best masters race being 2:32;30 at age 44 in New York in ‘81), but I was pretty hard core for many years. Ran pretty much straight through from age 14 (high school cross country) to age 58 when arthritis stopped me. Really upped the mileage after a week-end in Gainesville in Nov. ‘71 with the Florida Track Club guys. I could go on at great length, but I’ll settle for just two points:
1) As a coach you can enjoy running - and running hard - without having to enter races. I taught U.S. History in a Miami prep school for 36 years and always ran with the kids I coached. I just loved running plus I didn’t want to ask them to do what I wouldn’t do. Every five years - new age group - I’d “pump up” for national masters races.
2) BUT be careful! I thought I would run into my grave, but I hurt my hip trying to sprint for a hovering frisbee at age 57 (with the kids, of course), kept running on it, and within a year had the choice of stopping or a very early hip replacement. I stopped and held off the replacement for 9 years - until three months ago. Now I will never run again (except, maybe, for across the street) and I HATE that. Yes, life indeed goes on and I do bike, but I LOVED running long and hard and I miss it. So, be careful. Stay off pavement whenever possible. The injury speeded up my arthritis, but in hindsight I realize it was already under way. Too much pounding for too many years - like Jack B and Doris Heritage and too many others.
Comment by Geoff Pietsch — 5/26/2005 @ 1:10 pm
[...] A while back I posted a story I wrote for Running Times on three “distant heroes” I had researched with a grant from USA Track & Field (the “Ken Doherty fellowship”). Well, since that time I have stayed in contact with Bob Schul … still alive and kickin’ in Ohio. During our interview, I urged Bob to make video copies of his gold medal run available to ambitious, young American runners. You have to be able to see success before achieving it. Schul is the only gold medalist we have ever had in the 5,000m (the so-called “modern Olympics” that is … a fellow named Lightbody won it in, I think, 1892?). Anyway, after waiting for 5 years, I am thrilled to offer you a link from Bob Shul, himself, to the television coverage of his 1964 gold-medal race in Tokyo, Japan. The film is a bit choppy, but the commentating is superb. [...]
Pingback by songs of experience » Bob Schul’s gold medal run - on video at last! — 1/10/2006 @ 12:30 pm
[...] A while back I posted a story I wrote for Running Times on three “distant heroes” I had researched with a grant from USA Track & Field (the “Ken Doherty fellowship”). Well, since that time I have stayed in contact with Bob Schul … still alive and kickin’ in Ohio. During our interview, I urged Bob to make video copies of his gold medal run available to ambitious, young American runners. You have to be able to see success before achieving it. Schul is the only gold medalist we have ever had , male or female, in the 5,000m (the so-called “modern Olympics,” that is … a fellow named Lightbody won it in, I think, 1892?). Anyway, after waiting for 5 years, I am thrilled to offer you a link from Bob Shul, himself, to the television coverage of his 1964 gold-medal race in Tokyo, Japan. The film is a bit choppy, but the commentating is superb. [...]
Pingback by songs of experience » Bob Schul’s gold medal run - on video, at last! — 1/10/2006 @ 1:42 pm
Hi Joan,
I do some writing for Running Times and have read your “Distant Heros” piece several times. It’s so good, and I have been waiting for the book! Just wanted to say that you really need to get that thing written! What a gift it will be, to so many people.
Best Regards,
John Kissane
Athens, GA
Comment by John Kissane — 10/15/2006 @ 11:04 am