The History (Too Much Information),
Collegiate Basketball and Tennis Player
High School Cross Country (Senior year)
Born with very bad feet and ankles. I had to wear metal support shoes with limited participation in phys. ed. Over time there was some real improvement and I was able to participate, loved it and began playing sports in spite of Dr. recommendations against it. My father, a PhD. in psychology, felt it was best to let me participate so I that I would grow up like any other kid. If and when I ran into health issues, the situation would be discussed and address accordingly...that day eventually came Freshman year of college basketball.
One rainy Saturday when I was 12, my brother ran the 880 for the local H.S. As with most of my sports, I wanted to emulate him. Upon returning home, I ran a mile on a short, mildly hilly and wet grass course in 6:07. My father and brother were impressed and encouraged me to consider running. Personally, I did not find it exhilarating in anyway and did not pursue running other than a brief stint as the #2-3 880 runner on the 8th grade track team and as a Sr. (to obtain a letter) on the H.S. cross country team where I ran 1-2 most of the year eventually losing MVP during the district meet when trying to run sick. You can play hoops when feverish and congested, but you cannot run well when you cannot breathe.
The two biggest influences were a couple coaches and family. My dad had a real respect for distance runners and my brother was a good 880 and a very good 440 runner. Wanting to be like big brother drove my first forays into running. Dad's admiration for distance and my desire to find cures for Autism and Cancer drive my present efforts.
Those two coaches...a young asst. coach for 8th grade track team,Corwin Croy, had a knack for teaching technique and motivating various personalities to do their best...and our team had a myriad of personalities and abilities. Cross-country Sr. year was with Coach Bobo. The long time coach for whom my brother ran. A gentle, trusting and encouraging soul who really cared about the kids. I would have learned much more from this great inspiration had it not been for my job that conflicted with practice. Today, his son coaches the team. He is a phenomenal coach with state titles.
Under Bobo, My best time 10.53.
Runner-up for scholar athlete by .002 in GPA
Runner up for MVP (always the bridesmaid...lol).
Basketball and tennis were all I cared and focused. Running was to support these interests. Achilles issues surfaced Winter term of my collegiate Freshman year (1975) during basketball season. I trained for 3 years to make the college team as a walk-on. The goal was achieved and our team was on the way to a B2B championships which had not previously been achieved. Having trained 3 years let alone with a championship on the horizon, I was not about to quit. Had a long discussion with my father and my mother, the RN, who made sure I understood the long-term consequences of the diagnosis. They allowed me to make the decision. The decision was to play and then focus on rehab. What young athlete truly comprehends the longer-term health ramifications when it comes to sports? All I knew from observation was that if you are successful with football, you end up an arthritic by 40 and that would suck if you had athletic kids and wanted to play/compete with them.
While preparing for tennis tournament season in the summer of 77' my regimen was 2-3 hours Basketball, followed by 3 hours of tennis with occasional swimming and diving in the mornings. While playing basketball, I went for a rebound and was undercut. My ankle was severely sprained with some torn ligaments including some of my toes - 12 months of rehabilitation ensued. Rt. ankle was never quite the same and was very unstable. In 1978, I passed my professional tennis teaching certifications and turned professional. This, too, was a goal, but I had no false pretensions about becoming a full-time touring pro - did not have: the coaching, the skills, the physical attributes, nor the money. The minor league, satellite circuit, was fine for a year. During this time 2 mile runs and occasional cycling were added to the regimen.
While in Florida an idiot driver turned left across traffic without yielding, causing my small corolla rental to hit his 63' brick house car, thus, demolishing my car, injuring my wrist and spine (discs).
I returned home, entered Graduate School and underwent treatment for my back at the Medical College. My exercise was whatever physical therapy regimen was prescribed and some cycling. No running and no tennis for 6 long months
As a student faculty instructor, I began teaching tennis the following Spring. Unfortunately, one of the tennis classes I was teaching moved indoors due to rain. When it was over, I entered a pick-up B-Ball game. After scoring a bunch of pts some guy ran under my legs causing me to come down wrong; blowing out the ankle and requiring the emergency squad to remove me via stretcher
Two months later I took on a Country Club Head Tennis Pro. I wore a large, inflexible fiberglass brace when teaching or playing. . 18 months rehab with the ankle virtually shot. 1979-1981 were not good years from physical and athletic standpoints. However, they were great years for learning, making great friendships and getting an MBA.
Post graduation and during my career, I continued to play tennis. One day in a meeting one of the 50+ year old colleagues mentioned running 3 miles his time which seemed very slow to me. Our entire team was competitive, thus, I replied that I had not run in years and could do it in 18 minutes or less. He laughed and bet me 20. I went to Memorial Park's 3 mile path and ran a comfortable first mile around 6:20 and picked up the pace only to find the second mile was just under 6 minutes and the same the third which was a struggle resulting is a 18:07. When I went to pay up, he smiled, refused the money and acknowledged the time. From the Fall of 83 through the Spring of 85 I would run a few miles once or twice a week. 86-89 cycling, basketball and tennis only
In the early 90s a major stint and desire to play competitive tennis on last time. Trained hard with running, weights, swimming (this was new as I had never completed a full lap in an Olympic pool. Eventually I was doing 20 and 30 lap intervals). At this time I was fortunate to win a Houston area Infiniti U.S Open tournament for 5.0 players (7.0 scale). I believe the reasons for this success was the fitness training, but most importantly were who I was getting to practice and those who provided coaching. This included Roscoe Tanner as well as training at Stanford University with the tennis team. The Bryan brothers were Freshman and, no, I could not hold a candle to them! Well, maybe even when they were in the 12's and I was at my peak.
Running remained solely training for tennis. It was 2-3 miles 2-3x per week followed by swimming and weight training. In 2004 while working in Austin, I ran parts of the Town Lake course a couple times a week and had increased distance to 5-6 miles. One perfect indian summer Sunday, I decided to run the entire 11 mile, lakeside course to see if I could do it and to enjoy nature. Weel, I got lost as one area that was not marked. A little over 2 hours later, I had completed 14 miles and felt way better than the endorphin rush. The next day all that felt good was my attitude. This was the beginning of my interest in distance running...not to compete. I did not like getting up extra early on Saturday mornings to compete or to train with the local club, nor did I want to run on hard surfaces...oh well.
Several months later a good friend, Jorge Quinones, convinced me to join him and his friend for a 25k. As I said, I don't like to get up on weekends and I did not like running with others, let alone the idea of racing. He prodded me a little and to get him off my back, I indulged his request...he had needled me for a year or more. Within 100 yds. of the start, I stepped on one of those semi-spherical, white lane dividers and sprained my left ankle. After sitting for nearly 5 minutes and repeatedly examining the ankle, I understood the sprain (from all too much experience and training), knew it would take months to heal, but as long as I did not provide any torsional stress, it would not be further damaged and I should be able to finish a lap of the race. At the end of the lap it felt sore, but I could run and run well (just had to avoid any additional torsion). I ran and blew away from my friends. Finished in a respectable 2:07...from the calculators it appears that I could have qualified for Boston. I returned to this race for the first time in 6 years and still did not run faster on two good ankles. It was, however, 30 degrees warmer and 87% humidity...and unfresh legs having run a lot of miles during the week.
Over the years I kept running, but back problems (8 herniated discs - 1 coming 60 days prior to the Columbus Marathon) - kept getting in the way. After 30 days of rehab, I once again defied traditional course of care (but under the care of a Dr.) and began running so that I could still run Columbus and complete the Half and, if by some convergence of luck, run the full Marathon. I completed the Half Marathon and my back hated me.
Other injuries (bike wreck prior to the Houston 07' marathon, ankle sprains including one Houston 08' marathon, etc.) kept occurring and not only preventing a marathon run but qualifying for Boston as well. These injuries continue to have a cumulative adverse affect on my running ability and times. The most frustrating aspects were running my first 30k, misreading a sign and running an extra 4.5 mile loop. The good news is that I ran 24.5 in 3:02 which means if it had been a marathon, I could have walked the rest and qualified for Boston. The sad part is I was not ready to run this distance and the resulting injury caused me to miss the upcoming Houston Marathon. Once again, no marathon and no Boston qualification. 2 years later and ready to run a marathon and to qualify, I took medication the night before. Problem is that a side-effect was constipation, and thus, my bowels distended causing major back spasms beginning at the 3 mile mark and severely hindering my ability to run. Perfect day and another opportunity taken, but not seizes...Another lesson learned!
My desire is to run NYC and Boston (for Dad) AND to raise money for AUTISM research and cure. I will likely run 1-2 marathons this year - Columbus and/or Texas. If you have a special event, a worthy cause, I am always interested in hearing about it and would consider helping.