“The only quality time he spent with other children was when they were beating him up. With such a frail, skinny body, he became an easy target for boys three or four years younger.” “This was the boy that would grow up to be Gerry Lindgren. He would set many high school world records, go to the Olympic Games as America’s premier 10,000 meter runner at the age of 18, win 11 NCAA track and cross country national championships in only three years of varsity eligibility, and set American and even world marks in distance running. He inspired a whole generation of American distance runners and was arguably the best distance runner America has ever produced.”- Gerry Lindgren’s Book on Running, by The Shadow of Gerry Lindgren, 2005, published by Gerry Lindgren. Whew.
Gerry is 11 years older than me and was nationally known in the early-mid 1960s. I have a copy of the 1962 Boys Life magazine with the feature interview of the still in high school phenom, a beacon of American hope and pride and superiority during the Cold War. Ectomorphic status defines a large part of the world’s best distance runners. It also puts you on the business end of bullies.
Ronnie, Marc, and several other of my “buddies” would make a near daily cat and mouse game of chasing me home from school. If caught the minimum was the knocking and scattering my books and papers about the neighborhood (the days before backpacks when we toted everything by hand/arms). If they were seeking more entertainment it could include everything from punches to de-pantsing. I was only 50-50 on those daily dashes. Oh what fond memories. That part of my life speaks volumes as to why I am so short with antagonists. And it was with interest that I finally caught the Aussie Bully Beatdown as I guess it is called.
Our mate Aaron Bozarth is having a great early spring having pr’d in the Hammer two consecutive meets, 59.47 at the UNCW Seahawk Invitational and 59.59 at the CCU Shamrock Invitational. Congratulations to Aaron and long time beau Jeni Steiner as they have announced an October date to tie the knot!
Matt Heesch and Jordan Tucker cranked out 20 X 400 @ <:75 yesterday morning, trying to kick start some speed there Jordo?
Ivan Marsh’s truck has over 300,000 miles on it. Today is his birthday, I hope he has a Big Box with a bow on it sitting in the drive when he gets home from work tonight.
Almost 300 registered for the N-Bthaska-Ke Trail Runs. This Friday is the last day to guarantee your preferred T-Shirt size, its pot luck after that but we’ll have plenty of extras. www.trailrun.digbro.com
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