Runner of the Year...What if?

As my forced exile from running continues, my mind accelerates down strange paths into what might have been. For example, what if I had obeyed the rules of rest-and- recovery following hard workouts? I might have PR'd in the upcoming Plumeria 10K. Or, I might have passed Felix Makilong in the Master's 10K! Or, I might have been able to lead one of the first-time marathon-training groups and helped newcomers to this premier event achieve marathon glory.

To say that waiting for my plantar fascia to repair has been tough would be an understatement. I have been sidelined for 8 and 1/2 months now. But I have enjoyed helping in the races, preparing for building my home here on Guam and helping to build our church's new ministry facility. (This is a very busy year! When I consider it all, where would I ever have found time to run, anyway? Help me...I'm losing it...).

One of the more interesting dramas unfolding quietly in our running community is the race for the prestigious GRC Runner of the Year award.  John Halloran has given a whole new depth of meaning to "running with patient endurance". I still remember how several dedicated friends scraped John off the asphalt and poured him into the truck after he finished the 31-mile Tin Man distance at the annual Vicky's Ultra run. John picked up a lot of points toward the coveted award on that one. His face was a study in pain and true-grit. Every weary line converged on pleading eyes which seemed to say, "Why am I doing this?" and "I am going to be Runner of the Year this year." In the face of such punishing commitment you can't help feeling a sense of endearment to this fellow. I'm cheering for John.

Now consider the "what if" question applied to the Runner of the Year award. What if there were other categories... easier to win? Like Hairiest GRC Runner of the Year? (Testing positive for Rogaine, of course, results in an instant DQ!) Or, "GRC Runner with the Tightest Abdominals of the Year"? (Or the counterpart!) Or, how about "GRC Runner with the Most Interesting Tatoo"? Or "GRC Volunteer of the Year"? "(This one would be especially difficult because of all the people who help make these races possible...but my vote would be for the Marsh/Pinto dynamic duo. I would also put in votes for Nancy Hawkins waterstop volunteers and Billy and Kylie and a whole slew of others, too.).

Then again, there could be a "Most Injured GRC Runner of the Year" award. I wouldn't win even on this one. Graham Rogers would take it hands down. But I might get second runner up in this category. I can't imagine anyone actually competing for the title but some recognition would be a welcome consolation for all our time on the bench. What if there was a category for "Most Profusely Sweating GRC Runner of the Year"? Imagine having to set up the criteria for judging this one. How would you go about measuring? Would we have the hopefuls wring out their socks over a rainfall-measuring beaker?

'Flying Fritz Grobnitz took a 10-point precipitation lead in the GRC Sweating Runner of the Year contest, wringing out two-inches following the Tusnami 5K run. A new GRC course record!'

Or how about "GRC 'Most-Trips-to-the-Boonies' Runner of the Year? Of course this would have to be self-scoring and depend upon the honor system. Only stops during the actual race would be counted, not before or after the event. Here's another: "GRC 'Most-Change-Found-on-Long-Runs' Runner of the Year". (The prize would be a bumper sticker: "I brake for pennies").

Maybe you can think of a category of your own. And if you can't, no matter. Each and every one of you, who have run with the club this year and enjoyed the races are GRC Runners of This Year...period! And that's a grand accomplishment. You are in a category of your own. "What if" is fun but "what is" is what we are. Be sure to come on out, just as you are, for the annual Thanksgiving DayTurkey Trot 3.5 Mile, enjoy the race and renew your annual membership at the same time.

In it for the Long Run,

Neil Culbertson, GRC Prez
11-01-2001