Sunday is a special day in Canada. Across the country hundreds of thousands will participate in the Terry Fox Run. More than 1000 people in my little town are going to get up early to assemble in our park beside the lake. We're going to register and contribute some money. There will be an aerobic warm-up, some heart-warming speeches then we'll get behind some honourary guests (who wish they weren't being honoured) at the line. Bicyclists in front, runners next, then walkers all waiting for the ceremonial start to an event with no prizes. We're here for the man who isn't here today and for every one of our friends, family and strangers who have ever been diagnosed with cancer. We're here to help finish a run Terry Fox began 26 years ago.
Crossposted at [http://www.thenextagenda.ca]
History's first marathon took place 2,500 years ago when a professional runner completed the 40+ kilometer distance "Pheidippides delivered the momentous message "Niki!" ("victory"), then collapsed and died.
Athens Marathon History
To run a marathon requires discipline, drive and determination. One must learn to manage pain and overcome the temptation to quit. Every marathon runner feels pain. A tiny wrinkle in a sock will, over the course of 40,000 strides, eventually produce enough friction to delaminate skin. A blister will form, filling with fluid, not blood if you're lucky, in the body's effort to protect itself. If one is fortunate the effects won't be felt until after the finish line. And blisters show up in unexpected places. My one and only marathon produced blisters on my nipples. Even a light nylon running top will scrape like sandpaper; so experienced marathoners put band-aids on their nipples and lubricant under their arms. Middle distance runs of 5k, 10k or half-marathon distance just aren't the same. Not even close.
Marathon running was revived, in part, due to the interest the Victorians had in the Classical period. The new discipline of Archaeology uncovered the treasures of Ancient Greece, including commemorative records of the Ancient Olympic Champions. It so inspired Pierre de Coubertin and a group of his upper class friends that they created their own modern Olympic Games in 1896. As the ancient Olympics were for men only (with a few notable exceptions) so too were the modern games. A Greek woman, Melpomene, was denied entry but ran the route unofficially completing it an hour after compatriot Olympic champion Spirodon Louis in the 1896 Athens Games. It wasn't until 1928 that women were allowed to compete at the modern Olympic Games. Canada's team became known as the Matchless Six winning two gold, a silver and a bronze. Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport A disastrous collapse of several women in the 800 m that year meant all women were prevented from running longer distances until 1960.
Canada's had some great distance runners. Tom Longboat, an Onanadaga from Six Nations, became Canada's most celebrated marathon runner of the first half of the last century. He won the 1907 Boston Marathon. Jerome Drayton dominated the second half of the century posting a time of 2:10:09 in 1969 which still stands as the Canadian Record today. He won the Boston Marathon in 1977.
Women were banned from the Boston Marathon until 1972. Canadian Jacqueline Gareau won the Boston Marathon in 1980 but missed the celebrations because a fraud, who took the subway, broke the tape first and stole Jacqueline's glory.
At the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 the first women's Olympic Marathon was run. I was in the stadium. As thrilling as it was to witness American Joan Benoit win, it was the unbelievably gutsy performance of Swiss runner Gabriela Andersen-Scheiss that was most memorable. Andersen-Scheiss entered the stadium disoriented and she appeared to be paralyzed or it seemed, in the process of having a stroke. She was unable to move one arm and was dragging her leg. The crowd screamed and screamed "Help her! Help her!" An official offered to assist but she was determined to complete the final lap and cross the finish line. Everyone could see the team of paramedics on the infield follow each halting step ready with a stretcher. Race officials were waved off many times in the 5 minutes it took her to cover the last 400 m. 90,000 people held each other and their breaths unable to hold back their tears. "Please someone do something" It looked like she was going to die. But she tried to finish even if it meant dying. Never have I witnessed such an enormous sense of collective relief as when she fell across the line into the arms of the medical team. Scheiss
There have been other great, and not so great runners. I'm a big fan of Rick Hansen who raced in a wheelchair. We were in the same race once. Well not really, he won his division was back at his hotel showered, shaved, and enjoying lunch before I approached the finish line. There were about 10,000 souls between us.
Back in the 80's I was part of the running craze. I ran many 5k and 10k races, a couple of half-marathons and one marathon. My best finish was 88th in my class for a half-marathon. My marathon took 4 hours 17 minutes. I finished 5,486th just behind a 78 year old grandmother and between a pair of 9 year old twin girls from Japan. I was 28 and in my prime. One of my friends, a world-class runner could do the event in just about half the time. I told him of my accomplishment he whistled and said, "I don't think I could run for that long" (No, not at sub 5 minute mile pace, friend!)
I've been short on size and talent when it comes to sport. But I've always loved sport. And my great strength in sport is desire. I would work harder, hustle, never quit, just plain want victory more than anyone else. That got me a long way, especially in team sports. I've met a lot of people with determination but I have never met anyone with drive of a kid, 4 years younger than me, whom I met on 14 July 1980.
One day before one of the most significant days in my life my aunt E. had called me. Come on down to Hamilton. She had an extra ticket. A group of her friends from McMaster University and the Hamilton Public Health Unit had purchased a table from a service club. They had hurriedly arranged a fund-raising dinner for a young runner.
14 July 1980 was the day I met Terry Fox. We were about the same height. He was a bit taller and wider across the shoulders. He didn't have a classical runner's build. We were wearing the same shoes. We aspired to the same career. He was sunburned and freckled, friendly and tired. After giving a brief talk at a dinner held in his honour at the Royal Connaught Hotel in Hamilton he excused himself "I've got a big day ahead".
Our table was at the back near the door. While the rest of the crowd rose in a standing ovation, our group ran to block his exit. Dr. X introduced himself first, offering the services of McMaster's Medical department in case any treatment was needed. The other doctors chimed in with questions: How was the prosthesis? Was he experiencing any blistering? Did he need any adjustments? They had an excellent prosthesis technician who could perform a tune-up if needed.
He had been running since April. A marathon a day, sixty-six marathons in about 90 days. After cancer. With one leg. Wow! I was in awe. I didn't have anything to offer but encouragement. I shook his hand.
I cheer for underdogs. I admire the street fighters. The little guys. The gutsy girls. The ones with a certain look in the eye that shines from a true fire in the gut. As a kid I admired George Washington Carver because he was able to change the world by making the best of his talents. Now I admire Dr. Tak Mak whose pioneering research addresses new ways of understanding and eventually conquering cancer. Woody Allen once said "Seventy percent of success in life is showing up" but I believe it is what you do that makes a difference. And the ancient goals still seem worth striving for.
Steve Fonyo picked up Terry's torch and ran right to the Pacific Ocean on Terry's behalf. Rick Hanson: The Man in Motion set out on a similar quest of his own and wheeled around the world raising millions for Spinal Cord Research.
If you believe in a dream and have the courage to try, great things can be accomplished.
Years after he died Terry's fellow citizens voted him second Greatest Canadian
Sunday morning I'll be there for Terry, and Barbara and Sally and all the others who have died of cancer. I'll be there for my family, especially Mary, friends and neighbours who are living with cancer especially Inez and Sheila. And for all the others because through Terry Fox I have breathed in a divine spirit as have many others. We've given our Loonies and Toonies and Terrys.
Terry thought he'd be successful if only he could collect a dollar from each Canadian. His runs have raised over $300 million, many times the amount he had as a goal. He was a one step at a time guy. And he was so intent on crossing the finish line he might not have noticed that he ran the perfect race.
[http://www.terryfoxrun.org]