One More Mile - Cape Cod Athletic Club

Cape Cod Athletic Club - July/Oct 2007
Race Report: Vermont 100
Pete Stringer
T
his race was a very personal one for me, hard to run
and stay on a physical goal of running 100 miles. My
best friend of the past 40 years, Harold, contracted
brain cancer last winter and was dying. He had attended seven
Vermonts as part of my crew, and many, many other ultras in
this country and others, though he was not a runner (had he
been interested in the sport, he could have been a great one,
and I use that term advisedly). My daughter was on my crew,
she loved Harold. My wife Jane adored him. My son Derek
said "Harold had greatness" and was referring to his honor
and integrity and humility, and innate class. Plus, he kept us
all laughing, all the time . Julie said a crew with Harold was a
moveable weekend party in the country.
I met Harold back in the 60’s when we were both in the
horse business, and we stayed best friends since that time.
Jane & I flew out to Michigan in early June to say goodbye,
as he was on his death bed then. But he hung on way later
than the prognosis. He was a very surprising fellow all his
life. Despite a sixth grade education, one of the smartest guys
I have ever known, despite his skinny build, one of the toughest,
and if I told you of some of his running feats despite not
being a runner and smoking for 95% of his life, you would
not believe me. Most of the time when he paced me (even at
WS), he would wear jeans and jodpurs (horsemen's boots) and
his two-pocket long sleeve shirt complete with his trusty pack
of Salem's. (four pack a day man, no shit) We all said this
prayer for Harold that I had written out five minutes before
4AM for the race on Silver Meadow Farm, and that kind of
got me pretty distracted and emotional for a few miles, but I
always start real slow, so it didn't make any difference.
The weather was as ideal as it can be, and stayed that way.
As usual, Jane and I slept in a little tent right there at the start,
and she instructed all in the crew as to what to do. She is
amazing, and to see my two little Vermont granddaughters
ages 5 and 2 take part in "Grampy Pete's race" was definitely
motivating. My daughter Kerry, who came all the way from
Oregon (at the time) to run Boston in '97 with me, says I have
to stay in shape a while longer cuz both girls plan to run Boston
with me when they are legal at age 18. That may take
some persistence on my part since I'm already 66 and that
would take me to at least age 79.
Back to the V100. It was good seeing lots of old friends at
NE's only 100. Damon Lease, Jeff Washburn, Dan Rose,
Kevin Sayers, Bob Jensen, Greg Loomis, all had great races.
Damon's 80-minute pr was especially news impressive on a
course that was at least an hour longer than previously. Notable
absentees were John Geesler, Dot Helling, Shari Bashaw,
Joe Lugiano, Tony Treanor and a bunch of others. I am not
sure just why the entries are down. It has a wonderful charity,
the VASS program, which I managed to raise $1600 for by
doing the 6-day race in NY (so much per mile adds up in a
multiday!)
I can have a pacer the whole friggin' 100 miles at Vermont if
I want to because I am over 60, but there really is no need, so
we started at about mile 55 (I am one who can't remember
names of aid stations very well) with daughter Kerry doing
ten miles and catching me up with all the horse racing news
("Saratoga opens next week, and you're going to Colorado
again?") Then Julie for a 17 miler . She had just done the Burlington
City Marathon for a new pr despite having Lupus, and
she has been with us for ten years or so despite her being a
young mother herself. Then my son in law BJ, who is not a
runner per se but could win tough men contests and is a true
outdoorsmen. He did 18 miles or so. No sweat. He was pointing
out bats, owls, coyote calls, etc. from vet experience in the
Vermont woods.
I felt physically pretty good the whole way, tried not to think
too much about who was not there -- Harold. But finally, on
last five mile leg that I always run with the beautiful love of
my life, noble Jane, we both gave in a little and lost it a bit the
last mile with our hands locked together in tribute to the
love we have for this special man. In his honor.
We had a pretty wet group hug after the finish line, gave a
thanks in the direction of the sky. No dry eyes then, we let 'er
flow.
When we got home the next day I got a delayed email from
his sister Yvonne from Canada -- Harold grew up on a farm in
Novia Scotia with his other 16 brothers and sisters -- with the
somewhat welcome news that Harold had passed away about
noontime on Sunday. Of course that gave me some chills,
being just a couple hours after I finished the race. I guess he
wanted to stick around for one last time for his buddy.
She asked that I write the eulogy for his funeral service,
which I did the next day. No one ever had a better friend. ,
30 July 2007
Race Report: Chicago Marathon
Deanna Arnold
W
OW- that was one tough marathon. The weather
started out at 91 at 8:00 AM in the morning- it
was hot. At water station # 2 they ran out of water-
at water station # 3 they ran out of water- no Gatorade
available until about mile 14. I tossed my cookies twice and
almost fainted once. When I got to mile 10 I could not
breathe at all. It was so hot you could not catch your breath -
I switched over to the walk/jog method. At mile 13 I saw my
friends and told them how hard it was out there but was not
going to quit no matter what. People from houses, churches
and local businesses were coming out with bottled water and
ice for everybody because it was so hot. I made it to mile 16
with only 10 miles to go when they pulled me off the course
along with 12 thousand other runners. One person died, 300
in intensive care, 3000 with medical attention, they ran out
of ambulances- it was a mad house, especially at the finish
line when all 12 thousand showed up at once - you took your
own medal - volunteers had left.
So I can say I was part of history - the marathon that never
happened.
Thank you all again for your support - let’s try for next
year!!! ,
10 October 2007
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