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Some runners can handle any test
By JOE SHAFRAN
There is an ages old question, especially when it’s time for a pay raise; Is it more dangerous being a police officer or a firefighter, and should not the pay reflect that? I doubt if there will ever be a determination. And each time they play the Soccer World Cup, I get the question: What’s a more challenging sport, soccer or running? People marvel that in soccer, the players run up and down the field for 45 minutes without a break. That’s all well and good and Sunday, millions will be tuned in to see the finals in Germany. But 45 minutes? Runners go longer than that. There are marathoners and ultra marathoners, 26.2 and 50 miles, with breaks after three hours or so and not all the running is on level ground. And last week, Matt Mace of Arnold ran a hundred miles in the Western States meet (a hundred miles of hell) at Lake Tahoe with possibly a couple of short aid station breaks and completed it in 29 hours. And that was a run to behold. Matt said most of the run was in 100 degree heat but then as he climbed the Sierra Nevadas, he ran into snow .One or two others from this area have done that race in years past. Some of Matt’s success can be attributed to Charlie Muskin, from here, who “crewed” for him.
I know we can all learn a lesson from Sheryl Kline, one of the better runners and cheer leaders on the east coast. I will call her the Alberto Salazar of running which I’ll explain in a minute. Sheryl, in her early forties, of Arnold, mother of three, is often the winner or close to being the winner of any race around here and surely one of the first females to finish. Most often, rather than just stand around and wait for the awards ceremony, she’s usually crouched down near the finish line clapping and cheering and encouraging sometimes hundreds of other runners some gasping for breath. as they head for the chute. You can hear her cheering a mile away. Ironically, at the Dawson Strider’s Father’s Day run at Severna Park, she was the first female across the finish line, but she wasn’t up to much cheering. She was the one who collapsed from exhaustion and needed attention as reported in my last column. Sheryl is all right, none the worse for the wear, she walked up to me last week with her boyfriend John, a runner himself, and you would never know she was the one, in her words, who “wobbled” a few hundred meters to the finish and then collapsed... Once revived, she agreed to go sit in an ambulance, but absolutely refused to go the hospital. Hers is a story for the books. In the Dawson 10K, she had done the first mile in 6 minutes. She admitted to me that in her mind she had to win that race or at least be the first female or at least best her PR. She was competing with some other very accomplished runners, Jill Hargis, Margie Boyd and others, but she was determined to win. She came in 43rd out of hundreds, and was the first female in a hair under 43 minutes, but they had to carry her out. I liken her to Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston. Salazar was determined to beat Dick Beardsley and he did by a hair, but collapsed at the finish line . I know of this first hand. I ran that race, finishing an hour an a half after Salazar’s two hours and change and Beardsley , but there at the finish line was Salazar, somewhat recovered, but laying on a stretcher, clapping and greeting all us 6000 runners who followed. Kline’s lesson …pace yourself, think of the weather, realize that in temperatures headed into the 90’s, with high humidity, don’t try for a personal best. Do it at some other race and understand also that there are races that suddenly go from 5 miles to a 10 K, an extra mile, as was the Dawson Wine and Spirits run. Sheryl will show her stuff Saturday at the Women’s Distance 5K at West Annapolis, still a 5K, no ups.
Saturday’s Women’s Distance Festival 5 K and the race after for the men, will be in summer-like weather and will have some novice runners who might take a lesson from Sheryl and not try to break any speed records. It starts at the West Annapolis Elementary School on Melvin at Annapolis right across from Gus Leanos’ world famed eating emporium. No caps or gowns , but it is graduation for the Beginning Runners Class. Call Evan, Penny or Donna of the Striders before 9 P.M. at 410.451.4155. This race is the second in the Strider’s Summer Scholastic Championship Series. for youth 19 and under. The next is July 15th, The John Wall Memorial Mile at Broadneck High School.
By the way, back to soccer for a second. In case you thought that Adidas only made sports shoes, we now know they make high end soccer balls and other sports equipment. One of their balls will be used in the Sunday finals in Germany.
Running Calendar:
Sunday July 9
8 A.M. Columbia. Women’s Distance Festival 5K. Call Tracy at 410.309.5825.
Saturday July 15
8 A.M. Broadneck High School Track, Cape St Clair. John Wall Memorial Mile . Staged in heats according to pace. $50 gift certificate to the runner who cracks 4:21, the record. Call Will Myers at 410.987.4883, the five year principal at Severna Park High School.
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