Comments on: John Hinton; Beauty in Motion

By: songs of experience » do not go gentle

songs of experience » do not go gentle — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:42:48 +0000

[...] My “elite” training group is really beginning to take shape. I already told you about Alex L’Heureux and newcomer Jason Jabaut (along with my old war horse, John Hinton) in past posts … but let me tell you a little about Devin Swann. First of all, as the former distance coach of UNC Chapel Hill, I had to overcome my own prejudice against NC State runners to agree to coach Devin. It’s silly, I know (because we’re all adults, right?) that I should hang on to sophomoric notions like, “Duke is puke and Wake is fake, but the team I hate is NC State!” I don’t know why State hated us back; our guys were never a threat in cross-country. Never. NC State won ACC’s as a team, like, a zillion times. Granted, I did have an individual champion or two and we did score more points than both Wake and State in distance at the 1997 ACC track meet [after which I “anonymously” painted our point totals on the steeple barrier under cover of darkness - Sunday night - so the team could read it when they came to practice on Monday. Of course, when our throws coach saw my graffiti, he groused, “You better paint over that before Craddock - head coach - sees it.”]. I did paint over it (I wish now I hadn’t) but no one can erase our moment of glory!! [...]

By: Gary

Gary — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 23:34:43 +0000

Not yet John, not yet . . . say it ain’t so!!!

By: don

don — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 02:35:24 +0000

Never retire so long as you can run.

By: Saint

Saint — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:50:29 +0000

I hope Hinton-dog never quits, he is inspiration and perspiration (trying to hang with him in workouts/races) I always use him and you Joan as influence stories. These young kids now-a-days need a little kick to get them going and telling them stories of the greats who still run even to this day is enough to keep them on the right track, pun intended. The masters runners are what keep me going most of the time. After all the years of hurt, agony, injury there is some light in it all. I think I speak for all when I say we all have the upmost admiration for what Hinton-dog and Joan do day after day to continue to race and be the best. I hope you both never retire because that will be one sad sad day in the running community, but the passion will live on no matter if that day comes.