in their words
“For when the One Great Scorer comes To mark against your name
He writes – not that you won or lost But how you played the Game.”
THE AUTHO R IS A DUK E P RO F E SSO R
– from the 1908 poem “Alumnus Football” by Grantland Rice
OF ME DICINE A ND IMMUN OLOGY WH O HAS LIVE D IN D URH A M S IN CE THE L AT E ’ 7 0 S .
The Running Kind B Y DAV I D S . P I S ET S KY, M.D., PH.D.
I
FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE GREAT Scorer almost 60 years ago. In my case, the words should change so I will be asked not how I played the game but rather how I ran the race. I’ve completed two marathons, several half-marathons, and many 5K and 10K races. I have persistence and endurance but, alas, I am a plodder, a tortoise among hares. My last competition was years ago on a sweltering North Carolina day. It was, charitably, a debacle. I decided that I was through with racing and would be satisfied with long walks around Durham, with the some more vigorous running every so often. An occasional all-out sprint is supposed to have great health benefits and keep the heart zestfully pounding. It was just after such a sprint home that my neighbor – an outstanding senior runner – encouraged me to compete in the North Carolina Senior Games (my little gallop must have impressed her!). I learned the Senior Games
36
|
durhammag.com
|
august 2018
began in 1983 and is now the largest program of its kind in the country; last year more than 60,000 people participated in running, biking, swimming and other individual and team sports. Statewide, there are more than 50 local competitions that qualify participants for the games. The Senior Games, according to the website, represent a holistic approach to body, mind and spirit. I like holistic — I am a modern physician, after all. While I think that my mind and spirit are fine for someone of the august age of 72, I have my doubts about the body. But I decided to give it a whirl. My first task was to choose a race distance where I could do reasonably well or at least not embarrass myself. I did my research and was amazed. There were people 70+ years of age who were faster than I was when I was a teenager. From the 50- to the 1,500-meter runs, the times for the winners in my 70-74-year-old age group were more than I could dream to achieve. I chose the 200. Only someone who was really fit or was a masochist would try the 200-meter. It is about sprinting, and speed requires strength. It is so grueling that I thought (read, hoped) for fewer competitors and so an easier path to qualify for the state games. Such was my convoluted logic. With anticipation and anxiety, I registered for the Durham Senior Games in the 200-meter dash. At the very last moment, I added the 50-meter dash as a backup. That was an event I knew I could finish and the time difference between first and last is not that wide.