I was just 6 days away from my 6th birthday on this day in 1963. When I got home I found mom crying. That will always stay with me. One of those rare life moments when you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing. Something that had a profound affect on my childhood and probably my life. Innocence lost might be the best way to describe it. Finding out for the first time that the world really can be a Bad place. JFK assassinated. Then Jack Ruby gunning down Lee Harvey Oswald in front of all of us. A lot for a youngster to digest, especially one that was blessed/cursed with deep contemplation from an even earlier age. My generation’s 9.11 I suppose. Life is marked hard by those events, often most tragic, that sear themselves into our memories. Meditations and prayers the only answers to unanswerable questions.
Three more women made the USA Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying standard of <2:46:00 at this past weekend’s Philadelphia Marathon. Two other women qualified by running the necessary <1:15:00 half marathon equivalent. On the other coast at the Big Sur Half Marathon 2 more women and 1 male (<1:05:00) punched their tickets to Houston. California International Marathon will be the last chance to get a qualifier. TNB’s Bridget Easley will be chasing the mark. Two other notable non-TNB entries from Nebraska that also have a shot: Kaci Lickteig and Christy Nielsen. Kaci ran a 2:49 at 2010 Chicago while representing the Good Mates. Christy, 36, is chasing her 4th qualifier. They are now training partners and have been putting in a lot of work. No matter who you run for, Giddyup!
Had a nice meeting with Susie Smisek, Jody Green & Linda Barnhart after Sunday’s ORC meeting. The Omaha Marathon is never far from our minds. Another gem from Sunday- Gary Meyer has worked 55 events thus far this year. Makes me feel like a slacker.
Ricky Trevino won the UNK Turkey Trot 5K last weekend in 16:01.
The Chiba International Ekiden in Japan is coming up tomorrow. That event has a special place in my heart for many reasons. I was the USA Women’s Team Leader in 2002. We were housed at The Nihon Aerobic Center, the Olympic Training Camp for Japan as they geared up for the Seoul Olympics, a truly first class facility. Kevin Hanson and Creigh Kelley were my co-administrators and I learned much in just a few days. A young Brian Sell was on that team, dreaming of greater glory. I was privileged to carry the U.S. flag during the opening ceremonies. One of the highlights of the week is each team signing “the wall”. Every team from every country from every year has a square with the signatures of those participating. Immortalized in ink if you will. Fast forward 7 years and our own Linda Barnhart makes the trip and has her own memories and place in Chiba lore. Cool.
Mike Morgan, shown here when he ran for the Good Mates, will be running the Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston this coming January.
I took this photo at the Edgar Cayce Institute in Virginia Beach at last year’s USATF Annual Meeting. It gives me a peaceful, easy feeling and is the screensaver on my phone. The 2011 Annual Meeting is in St. Louis this year and begins next week. This will be my 9th annual meeting, Love All, Serve All and Giddyup!
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