http://www.runnersworld.com/boston-marathon/an-appreciation-of-meb-keflezighi
An Appreciation of Meb Keflezighi
Amazing as a runner, inspiring as a person.
By Scott Douglas;
Published
April 21, 2014
Why do we follow sports? One reason is to be inspired by how world-class
athletes marshal mental strength to produce physical excellence. That
inspiration can come from seeing a single performance, but runs deeper when
we follow someone's career. Then we can note how they handle not only the
successes but the inevitable setbacks. And if we're fans of the right
athletes, then we can learn how to be a better person.
I'd like to suggest that, if you're not already a fan, it's time to
appreciate Meb Keflezighi <
http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/meb-keflezighi>.
Of course, his running résumé is exemplary. With his win at
Boston<
http://www.runnersworld.com/boston-marathon> today,
Meb is the only runner, man or woman, to have won the Boston and New York
City <
http://www.runnersworld.com/nyc-marathon>(2009) marathons and an
Olympic marathon medal (silver, 2004). Meb is also a former U.S. record
holder for 10,000 meters, the 2012 Olympic Marathon
Trials<
http://www.runnersworld.com/olympic-trials> champion,
and the fourth finisher in that year's
Olympics<
http://www.runnersworld.com/olympics>
.
Throughout his career, Meb has been more acknowledged than highlighted in
pre-race speculation. On the one hand, that makes sense. His winning time
today, a personal best of 2:08:37, is more than 5 minutes slower than the
world record; it would have been the 94th fastest time in the world in
2013. On the other hand, well, look at that record in the previous
paragraph. Meb is a competitor, with perfect instincts on which moves to
cover and when to strike out on his own. When he comes to a race with the
fitness to match those instincts, great things happen. Can we finally give
him his place in the pantheon of American runners?
But the real reason to appreciate Meb is for all that has happened before
and after those great races. Life has often been difficult for Meb,
starting with his childhood in war-torn Eritrea, his native country, and
continuing with coming to California as a preteen with what the locals
thought was a funny accent. His is the immigrant's story that makes most
Americans proud.
And despite the major marathon wins, Olympic medal and national titles,
running has often been difficult for Keflezighi. Inside a compact, muscular
body are, apparently, some pretty fragile tendons, ligaments and bones.
It's more often the case than not that Meb gets injured during a marathon
build-up. While his competitors are cranking out hard 35-kilometer runs,
Meb is riding an ElliptiGO and seeing a physiotherapist twice a day. That's
the sort of thing almost any dedicated marathoner would put up with once
before a big race. But again, and again, and again? Most in Meb's situation
would have called it a career years ago.
Meb's biggest bodily setback came at the 2008 Olympic Marathon Trials, held
the day before the 2007 New York City Marathon. At the time the reigning
Olympic silver medalist, Meb finished eighth, in severe pain. He later
learned he had a pelvic stress fracture. Meb has said how even walking
became so painful that he would crawl around his house. It would have been
easy, even understandable, for Meb to have thought, "I'm 32 and an Olympic
medalist. Time for something else." Instead, in 2009 he became the first
American winner of the New York City Marathon in 27 years.
Last fall's New York City Marathon was one of his worst. Meb ran with the
leaders for as long as his injury-compromised fitness would allow, but was
on his own for most of the second half of the race. Calf cramping and
walking followed, and he finished 23rd in 2:23:47, more than 10 minutes off
his next-slowest marathon. But unlike many elites after a bad race, Meb
came to the media center and talked with the maturity of someone who knows
where that ranks in the grand scheme of things.
Meb is always quick to acknowledge the role of his support crew--family,
long-time coach Bob Larsen, sponsors--in his accomplishments. I have my
cynical side, but in Meb's case believe he's being sincere rather than
dutiful when he does so.
I say this based on a small gesture that speaks to my understanding of his
character. In 2007, Meb ran the Beach to Beacon 10K, which is held near
where I live in Maine. Meb stayed in town for a few days before heading to
Massachusetts for the following weekend's Falmouth Road Race. I offered to
show Meb where to run, and he was kind enough not to push the pace on a
couple of 10-milers. Meb was fine when friends of mine joined in, including
a guy who was a half-miler in college and dusted off his spikes to help
pace Meb through a set of 400-meter repeats. We wound up going to
Portland's one Eritrean restaurant, which usually isn't open on Sunday
nights but made an exception in this case. It was a great few days for the
running geek in me.
And yet, just before he left for Cape Cod, Meb was the one calling me,
saying how much he appreciated my time during his visit.
Give thanks. Draw strength from setbacks. Work hard while maintaining
perspective. These simple principles can be hard to regularly practice. Of
the many reasons to appreciate Meb, his embodiment of those lessons in good
times and bad is the best.
Received on Mon Apr 21 2014 - 19:38:44 EDT