In the Fall of 1981 I ran Cross Country for the first time. That year, Halloween was on a Saturday. Since it was also on Saturday this year, I am reminded of a few things.
To properly set up the story I must recount additional details. I come from a musical family and I fondly remember family gathered around the piano singing hymns. In school, I was always in choir and plays the class did. Then came the spring of 1979, when I was in 8th grade.
We did a play that was something like a television talk show. I played an elderly man who had a lot of energy and spunk. Things were going well despite my nerves until I flubbed one of my lines. I looking back it wasn’t that bad but at that moment it hit me hard. I was mortified with embarrassment. That night alone in bed I vowed to never be in a play again. I never wanted to feel like that ever again.
Another important detail is I was good at distance running even though I never pursued it. One day after starting 10th grade I was contacted by a lady about doing a paper route. I was interested and planned to start but September 5, 1980 interrupted that when I had an emergency appendectomy. I was in the hospital for 5 days.
It was a few more weeks before I was cleared to do PE in school and the paper route. I carried the papers and would walk from house to house delivering them. I had lost about 15 pounds due to the severity of things when I was in the hospital and wanted to build up my strength again. Therefore, I decided to run between houses when delivering newspapers.
I believe the first day it took me about 40 minutes. I got it down to around 17 minutes. In the Spring I decided to try out for track. Here is another digression: I did track in 8th grade but threw the discus and shot put. I was not a big or muscular guy so, of course, didn’t do so well.
I remember my first 2 mile race. I was dying and I thought I finished my last lap only to hear the track official tell me, “One more.” After finishing the race and walking off the track, I picked a spot and collapsed to the ground. I wasn’t sure track was for me.
Nevertheless, at the awards banquet at the end of the year, the coach spoke about the surprise athlete. He said every season there is someone who was a pleasant surprise to them. At the beginning of the season, they wondered who it would be. It was me. Coach said he wanted me to do Cross Country in the Fall.
I did.
During the whole of the Cross Country season, I normally placed 4th or 5th on my team. As the season progressed, the coach and teammates spoke of qualifying for state. They placed 20th in state the previous year. 20th was last place. We didn’t want to repeat that.
Then one day in late September or early October I was approached by a couple classmates before Cross Country practice. Would I be interested in taking a part in the school play?
I don’t remember the details now but the guy playing the father in Cheaper by the Dozen did something bad enough to not be in the play. The guy currently playing the boyfriend became the father and I would take his role. Why did I agree to this? I had sworn to never put myself in a situation to be so embarrassed? Insanity?
I don’t remember trying out for the part and I know I didn’t have all the lines memorized until the we did the play for the faculty, which was October 29. Once I took the role my days were like this:
5:00 AM wake to do paper route.
Eat breakfast when that was done.
Nap before school
School
Cross Country practice after school
Play practice after that
In bed around 10:00 PM
This went on for about 3 weeks.
Did you notice I didn’t mention homework?
Opening night was Friday, October 30. Halloween was our first step in qualifying for state. The meet was in Elmwood and they had a solid team and
state ranked girl that I raced earlier in the year since she ran with the boys. I thought it very odd a guy was called Betsy until the race was over and I turned around to see Betsy behind me.
The weather was nice that day and the golf course where we ran was in good shape. We qualified for the next round.
By that time the play was done and I have some free time.
During the meeting with our coach the night before the November 7 sectional meet, coach gave a simple but motivational talk. He knew how many teams could qualify for state and he listed teams we knew would. That would leave 2. We were listed with a group of 4 that could take the last two spots. He simply circled the four and asked, “Who will be the two to go?”
Those words burned deep down into my soul. We were all ready to go out and run until we collapsed.
I don’t recall the location of the November 7 race but it was, by far, the coldest race I’ve ever done. I forgot a hat but had socks to cover my hands. We ran in shorts and cotton long sleeve shorts. I remember stepping off the bus to begin a warm up run. I didn’t go 50 feet and my fingers were getting numb. Yes, it was very cold and windy but we qualified for state.
The state meet in Illinois was in Detweiler Park. As a spectator park for an event like this, it is perfect. The bus picked up a couple of us at the high school that cold November 14 morning. One of my teammates turned in some music from Rocky and I about went crazy with adrenaline.
Other teammates were picked up along the way since they were closer to the park. I remember jogging with my teammates in the frosty grass. So many little things return to me now. Fall colors and odors and cold air remain burned into my memory. The race itself will have to be told another time.
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