Inspiration

INSPIRATION THE REAL RUNNER

Bijesh Amatya overslept and arrived 45 minutes late, but he still ran the Green Lake Road Race in the rain

BY BOB KOVELL

The Green Lake Road Race (GLRR) is a 12 mile run (yes, 12, one of the few 12’s in the nation) held in Spicer, Minnesota, on the Sunday closest to the Fourth of July. The 43rd annual GLRR took place July 1.

If you recall, it was a rainy day. Upon waking, I checked the radar and all I could see was “green and yellow” for the next several hours. Wow, gonna get wet, I thought; hope there’s no lightning. Well, there was no lightning on the drive from St. Cloud to Spicer. And when I arrived, the race director, Dan Hubbard, was busy setting up cones by the starting line in the rain. Dan and his volunteers do an outstanding job putting this race on. And, can you believe the entry fee is still only $25!

On a day such as July 1 there are few, if any, race day registrations. When I picked up my race packet the race day registration line was nonexistent. Nobody. I always feel sorry for the race director on days like this. No race day registrations, less gross revenue, water everywhere and dealing with volunteers who do not want to stand in the rain for hours. There was, however, a bright spot. As I jogged by Dan in doing my warmup I told him, “I’d rather run on a day like today than one where it’s 80 degrees, sunny and humid.”

The GLRR generally has over 250 finishers, but today the number was only 175. About 20 percent of the registered runners were “no shows.” It did rain during the entire 12 mile loop around Green Lake. And, as we were waiting inside Zorba’s (a race sponsor) for the awards ceremony, I told my fellow runners, “only real runners show up

Bijesh Amatya, left, is pictured with Bob kovell. Amatya started the Green lake road race 45 minutes late, but finished 168th out of 175 runners. His story inspired kovell to write a summary of the race. Photos courtesy of Bob Kovell

on a day like today.” We, especially us veteran runners, think we are mentally tough and can run through anything—pouring rain, extreme cold, mud, whatever it is. But I did not realize who the “real runner” was that day until Bijesh Amatya showed up at our table. Bijesh is a fellow St. Cloud River Runner (SCRR). He and I frequently run the same pace, so we are friendly competitors, but not in the same age group. “Bijesh”, I asked, ”I didn’t see you at the start or on the course. Did you run?” And he replied, ”Yes, I just started a little late; I want to wear the race shirt and I won’t wear it unless I finish the race.”

You see, Bijesh overslept, but still drove down to Spicer and started the race by himself 45 minutes after the official start time. He finished 168th out of 175, passing seven runners in the final two miles. Note that finish time is determined by gun time at the GLRR. Now, how many of us would do that?

Bijesh, you are the real runner!

Bob kovell finishes the green lake road race on July 1.