Oh, the places I’ve been, the things I’ve seen. Running has brought more to me than maybe I ever deserved, but hey, that’s not my call or yours. Bottom line is I lived a charmed life from the simplest of human activities, putting one foot in front of the other. Primarily through service as advocate and administrator.
So many things to do while I’m on the good side of the grass, I often wondered how in the world I would ever separate myself from such passion and get on with my other Good Works.
Voila! All it took was a years long campaign of character assassination by the Grievance Angel. First to go was my position as WLDR National Championships Chair. The first and most devastating blow, effected by a staged photo of me urinating the name of an adversary in the snow. Bad choice on my part to accept foul counsel. Submitted it to the Chief Legal Counsel and CEO of USATF in 2009. I was removed from that work without a chance to defend myself, never even got to see the original complaint.
That wasn’t enough. Then a submitted complaint to Brooks Running, that one cost Team Nebraska their title sponsorship. How Evil I must be for punishment to be adminstered to the entire membership of the club. I didn’t get to see that one either.
And yet another complaint to the Lincoln Marathon. That one “suspended” Team Nebraska’s sponsorship for almost a year. Guess what? I didn’t get eyes on that one, man, are you seeing a pattern here?
And another complaint to the USATF Nebraska Association, trying to get my membership revoked. I had to defend myself in front of those that Know Better, but the pen is mightier than the sword. I did get to see this one and it is a hoot! Among other charges, I apparently used my position of authority to provide special privileges to Linda, what an insult to her own service to our sport.
And then another complaint to the national office that my hosting USATF association championship races was detrimental because I would be profiting from entry fees, and that the member’s USATF competitive club would not participate should that remain status quo.
Anyone remember the Red Dirt debacle?
This constitutes over 5 years of harassment. I’ve been told there is still more to come. Scary proposition, but true. I’ve been advised to seek legal protection and I guess that now is my final resort.
I’m not the only one that has been victimized like this. Sinister intent knows no boundaries. A certain friend had his mother feel complaining wrath by the same individual as well. Ask me about that some time.
A few of my USATF colleagues have related similar stories from other associations and clubs. But none have had the longevity or concentrated efforts with intended ruin the ultimate goal.
This column will only anger, but its time you know what I have dealt with and why my columns are sometimes on the dark side. I won’t publish any names but if you haven’t already guessed, just ask me in person. Fortunately the Omaha and Nebraska running community will judge my contributions based on my love for the sport, the athletes, and the merit of my work, and not the constant ranting of a single person. Of course there will be many fabrications in defense, the master of charm after all.
But for now, I am free to pursue my garden, my writing, my loving and living. And this, after all, provided me the Easy Way Out;
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