One of my most treasured mementos is a now tattered tank top with a big red lobster forming the letter “M” in the words “Maine Running Camp.” From 1996, my hosts on the carriage trails of Acadia National Park were Andy Palmer, rest his soul, and John L. Parker Jr. We hung out for a week and became fast friends. Back to the tank top and what’s on the back because that’s what counts.
‘HUBRIS”
In youth it is more rightly called piss and vinegar. But as boy matures to man, the p&v transcends more mellow balsamic. The key, in athletics at any rate, is capturing talent, and desire, and drive, and good head on shoulders, at the limited if not precise intersection of stallion and stud.
An admitted small but decently relative sample size of American National Class talent at Sunday’s JaxBank. Peeling back a layer I found that 10/ 14 women that hit <1:15:00 were under the age of 29. Of the men under 1:05:00, 23 of 27 were under age 29. I’m most encouraged by the 5 men and 4 women under the age of 25 that hit respective excellence.
Tanner Fruit is in the sweet spot at 27 with a 1:04:30 personal best. That’s :18 faster than Nebraska’s last sub 1:05 guy, Mike Morgan, whose 1:04:48 launched his career so many years ago in Houston, his own balsamic days. And puts him on the list with Mike and James McGown as the only male US Olympic Trials Marathon qualifiers in a generation.
The Houston Half is coming right up A week from this Sunday, last chance. Same elevations, flat and fast, keeping fingers and toes crossed for perfect weather, and seeing another example of young American talent on display. I for one, can’t wait!
And for you youngsters, you talented ones, with the desire and the drive, and the good head on your shoulders, let’s do this!
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