One of the real highlights from the Lincoln Marathon was running. Into so many old friends. And into new ones. Some rightfully hold legendary status in Nebraska. Others are the future.
Of the legends Ron Olsen is right up top. No other human being has completed 39 Lincoln Marathons. He and Roxi Erickson were two of the first Nebraska icons I hoped would join that USATF Elite Development Club I founded back in ’02. The competitive excellence in Nebraska from the 70s and 80s, their era, by ’02 long dormant. And with that began a relationship now 15 years in the making. Theme to this morning’s column.
Linda Kunasek. Kyle Clouston. Stacy Shaw. Cameron Cummings. Mike Reilly. Jimmy Doherty. Walter Key. Agustin Delgado. Bill Weeks. David Frost. James McGown. John Tully.
Relationships. Everyone (casting my broadest net here) gets to celebrate the friends they have made through running. I’m no different if a tad polarizing. The list above are my dearest. All by my side in an instant through transition. The original Nebraska Run Guru Elite. There for me then, I’m here for them until the end.
Once A Mate, Always A Mate.
2002, I’d like to introduce you to 2016. The running community enjoying it’s most competitive culture. More USATF members and USATF clubs. More serious racing, pride and stakes and bragging rights and personal bests.
2016, I’d like to introduce you to 2003.
If you’ll indulge my 15 years of work building competitive distance running in Nebraska, perhaps give just the slightest nod to the patriarchal role, these then are My Two Sons. Mike Morgan and James McGown. Pioneers for the renaissance of elite level distance running in Nebraska. Torchbearers for your generation, as Ron and Roxi were for theirs.
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