Running streak interrupted but coaching, giving go on

When we count the losses from the coronavirus pandemic there will be the economic thrashing taken by anyone counting on raising money for their school or a 501(c)3 organization through a race. There are running related businesses like Awards4U, Fleet Feet and Cadence that are struggling.

Running can still be as simple as running out the door. Or maybe not. Step by step the places we run are shrinking. Some 10 – 12 area races have been canceled or postponed with many more likely to come. The Springtime Tallahassee race became a “virtual” race this year. The race is almost 45 years old and runners have endured hot weather, cold, windy cold, electron cold, rain, storms and more over the years. But never cancellation – until this year.

The streak was a remarkable accomplishment. Despite lightning, rain, cold, scheduling conflicts, traffic catastrophes or any other barrier, it would be 31 years before there was not a Tuesday evening interval supervised by either Gary or Bill, and probably less than 1% of those where both of them were not there.

During that time intervals fell on holidays, including Christmas and Christmas Eve. Once or twice on a bitter cold day, Gary might be the only one running while Bill yelled out splits. More than once, Sheryl Rosen received the most consistent and toughest runner award for being the only one to stare down a bitter cold day or a downpour.

While Tuesday intervals are about training hard and running faster, where you were starting made no difference to Gary or Bill. If you were out there trying, you were every bit as entitled to your piece of the track as the fastest person out there.

Gary had and still has one major peeve. Often you would see and hear runners who believed they were entitled to the inside lane yelling “track” to slower runners trying to tell them to move out into lane 2 or 3 so they could run by in that inside lane.

I must confess to yelling “track” and expecting runners (and sometimes walkers) to get out of my way. That is not something I have to worry about anymore. But Gary quickly pointed out how much less confusing it was if the rule was simply pass on the outside.

I asked them both why all the hours spent and the dedication. Bill was simple in his response – but straight from his heart. It gave him a chance to reach out and help people – especially new people he did not previously know. I suspect if Tallahassee ever decides to have a parade for Bill Lott the cars and floats would have to line up all the way to Quincy to include all the people who would want to thank him.