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Dave Griffin On Running
The Carroll County Times – Sunday, September 13, 2009
It was a rainy April night in 1983 and I was standing on the starting line of a race I intended to win.
After finishing third in the same race the year before, I had made up my mind to do better this time. I built my entire training program around it, planned specific race tactics, and studied every detail of the course. All the elements of preparation had gone well, and I was confident.
The rain began to pour just as the gun fired. I sprinted out with the pack, adjusting to the tempo and the movements of the other leaders. The race played out perfectly, and we passed the half way mark exactly as planned. All I had to do was execute the final vision in my mind, but my competitors weren’t exactly interested in letting that happen.
My memory becomes fuzzy as I try to recall the details of the second half. All I remember is watching the eventual winner pull away. I struggled toward the finish line, crossing it in seventh place.
Afterwards, I stood in the middle of the road looking up toward the dark sky. I let the rain pour down on my face, as if it could somehow wash the disappoi ntment away. It couldn’t.
I actually thought about quitting after that. Back then, each race stood on its own merits, as if I had to prove myself with every effort. Thankfully, I got passed my initial reaction, continuing to run and race even to this day. If I hadn’t, my life would have turned out very differently.
Life can be confusing while you’re living it. That’s why reflection is important. It helps you learn from your mistakes, and, perhaps more importantly, understand what you can rely upon for sound direction. In my case, one thing has always provided that kind of guidance: the example I have in the lives of my parents.
Back when that race was run, they had already been married for more than thirty years. Their commitment to one other is something that has influenced me beyond measure. I have no doubt that it was their example that got me passed the disappointment of a single race, and helped me recommit myself to running.
Since then, I’ve come to understand that nothing of value is gained in a single day, but in the effort and experiences of many days collectively. So it is with running, with relationships, and just about anything else you can name.
I realize, of course, that riches and fame are given to some, but have you noticed that stability rarely follows? That’s because life is hard, thrusting hardship and disappointment in our direction. It’s the endurance we display in times like these that ultimately determines what kind of person we become.
We recently celebrated my parent’s sixtieth wedding anniversary. I could never express the admiration I feel for them. Mostly, what I remember are the good times, but I know there were just as many hardships. Through all those years, they’ve shown me what it means to endure, something that’s rather important to a runner like me, and, I suspect, to you as well.
Dave Griffin
Dave Griffin is the Times’ running writer. His column appears every other Sunday. Reach him at dpgflyingfeet@aol.com or join the Facebook group, Dave Griffin On Running.