I like to consider myself to be someone with many interests. Sure, I love runnning, and it's been a part of my life for decades, which is why I write this blog. But it's still just a part of my life. Running doesn't define me. I would say the same thing about journalism. It's my career, and I enjoy it, but I don't think it's what I live for.
Running and Journalism, however, can be pretty demanding, all-consuming activities. I also enjoy other sports, books, music and theater. And I love to hang out with friends. And when you mix in family life and responsibilities with our 4 young kids, it gets pretty busy.
I think about this often, as I wonder if I'm placing too much emphasis in my life on one thing or another. It is in this context that I read a recent 'Where Are They Now?' story in Sports Illustrated by David Epstein. It was an update on the life of a man whose name is immortally linked with his accomplishments on the track. Quite a lot has been written about Sir Roger Bannister, the first person to run under 4 minutes for the mile. I knew that he had become an accomplished doctor, and was involved in sports development in Great Britain. But there is so much more to his amazing life.
What got me thinking was a line in the story about what he believes should be his legacy. When asked whether his best memories and greatest contributions came on or off the track, Bannister has no hesitation: "Oh, medicine," he says, repeating it for emphasis. "Medicine."
This is a man who, in 1954 became the first person to do what many previously considered impossible. Breaking the 4 minute mile barrier is still considered one of the most significant accomplishments in modern history. Forbes magazine named Bannister's 3:59.4 as the greatest athletic accomplishment of the last 150 years. Bannister was one of three men who were close, and competing to become the first to break it. But everone knows the name Bannister, while mostly only track historians know the names of the other two. It's kind of like Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. Few people could readily identify the sherpa who was with him, and was the second person to reach the summit just seconds later.
But Bannister believes his accomplishments in medicine and research are more noteworthy than that famous 3:59:4. That says a lot about his life and his perspective. Bannister is now 82 years old, and has been unable to even jog for more than 30 years since a car crash nearly killed him, and severely disfigured his ankle. He retired from competitive running at 25 years old, not long after his record setting run. And even as he trained for that incredible 4 laps around the track, he was also studying in a demanding medical school program. Can you imagine that in these days of full time professional running?
Yes, Roger Bannister has led an incredible life. And he is also an inspiration to many of us, not only for his speed on the track, or his groundbreaking medical research, but for his perspective. It would have been easy for him to live off his athletic feat alone. Noone would have blamed him, or even questioned it. That's how significant his sub-4 minute mile was. But Bannister has gone on to do many more amazing things with his life. And that serves as an inspiration to all of us. If you are interested in the SI story, here's a link:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1187805/index.htm
I'm not a doctor, and I'm not likely going to make any great scientific discoveries. For that matter, I also
never came close to a 4 minute mile. But I am trying to be the best journalist, father, husband, friend, and yes, runner that I can be. Did I leave anything out?
And I'll see you on the roads.......
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