February 2003 Newsletter

Today I Ran With My Heroes

How do you describe the heroes of your life? Those you admire. Those you respect. Those who make you want to be the best that you can be. I had the privilege of running on the same team as my heroes today and it was an awesome experience.

About 6 weeks ago Pete Glavin put a bug in our ear. He was going to host a 4x1600 Masters Women relay in the hopes that the American and World record for the event would be broken. The existing record was set by the pioneer members of the Finger Lakes Runners Club 21 years ago. We agreed it was time for the record to be broken but we also believe we were the ones who should do the breaking. Picking the women was easy. Suzanne Myette was chosen for her natural talent and commitment to excellence. Gillian Sharp was chosen for her guts, heart and sole. Shirley Woodford, for her brutal determination and loyalty and me, Lorrie Marnell for my strength and perseverance. We knew we were a force to be reckoned with.

Suzanne was our lead runner. She had the enormous responsibility of taking the team out. She ran focused, confident and sure. She led her entire leg, never looking back and never knowing where the other teams were behind her. The look of a focused athlete was all over her face. She would not let the team down and continued to offer support while the rest of us ran. Natural talent and commitment to excellence. (5:30)

I was the second runner. It was a hard place to be. I had no idea where I was in relation to the others or my own abilities. No splits where given for my first 4 laps and there was not a clock for guidance. I ran more out of fear of running too hard and dying than confident and knowing. I did not want to let my team mates down. I started kicking the last 200. I heard Suzanne yell "every second counts Lorrie". As I rounded the third turn I heard someone yell "you can catch her Carolyn". I dug deep inside to find another gear and hammered it home to hand off the baton to Shirley without being passed. Strength and perseverance. (6:15)

Shirley was amazing. She had tough competition her entire leg. She was neck and neck with a member of the Genesee Valley Harriers. She lead the first couple of laps and once passed she held on tight to keep the lead that GVH had to a minimum. She gave it every thing she had and held nothing back. Later she told me that the only thing that kept her going was not wanting to let the team down. Brutal determination and loyalty. (6:03)

Gill took the baton from Shirley. She was strong, steady and self-assured. It was a pure pleasure to watch the way Gill took control of the race. She patiently cut the lead that GVH had with each lap she ran. The lead was cut to a matter of a few foot steps with three hundred meters to go. Gill decided it was time for her to be in command. She passed with ease and continued to pour it on. She was in another plain, on a different level. Guts, heart and sole. (5:21)

Today I got the privilege of running with my heroes and it was everything I knew it would be. We set a pending American and World record for the Masters Women 4x1600 relay finishing in a time of 23:10.07 bettering the existing record my almost 2 minutes.

Thank you ladies. It's always a privilege and an honor to be associated with you.

-- Lorrie Marnell