“Hey, I Can Do This!” Part Two

I asked our members about their breakthrough moments in track and field, and they shared wonderful stories. Here’s the second set.  
Leah Rewolinski 
The Villages TLC web wizard  
 
 
Walking Beyond Her Expectations  
My racewalking has consisted of middle and distance races, with the half-marathon being my preferred event. I would settle into my pace and just keep going. My muscle memory knew what to do. However, when I moved to The Villages and joined The Villages Track and Field Club, I found myself in unfamiliar territory. I quickly realized I needed a track and field glossary, a stopwatch, a conversion chart and a coach with patience. Things felt strange at first, but with the support and encouragement of the other track members, I became part of a special family. 

Due to my teammates’ gentle prodding and their belief in me, I accomplished something that seemed out of reach: I participated in both local and judged state games for the first time. Now I humbly and gratefully say to my track family: Hey, I can do this! 
--Pat Roam 

My 15 Seconds of Fame  
Some eight months after running my one and only marathon, I ran the Mount Washington Auto Road Race. This is a 7.2-mile switchback climb, all uphill, averaging 12% grade. It’s by far the hardest run I’ve ever done.

For those unfamiliar with Mount Washington, New Hampshire: it has some of the most severe weather in the country. That June day it was 82 degrees F at the base and in the mid-40s with a 40-mph wind at the summit. 

Somehow I managed to make it to the summit. In the last 100m or so, I began to hear applause and voices saying “Go! Go!” and “Looking great!”

Not wanting to disappoint my fans, I increased my effort. They in turn rallied for me even louder. It seemed the harder I tried, the louder the cheers were. Extremely proud of myself, I gave the final strides my best-looking effort.  

As I crossed the finish line, I noticed out of the corner of my eye another runner finishing with me. It was a woman, and I heard someone say, “You won.” Yes, she was the first female to finish. The reporters and other people flocked to her. 

Alas, I realized they’d all been cheering for her. Fame can be such a fleeting thing. 
--Art Bourgeois 

How Lucky We Are  
So many great memories at the track and hopefully more to come! The second day we moved to The Villages as snowbirds in April 2012, there were no organized running groups as we have today. Fortunately, John “the coach from England” showed me how to run track and helped me realize I was not a sprinter but a candidate for the 1500 meters. What a surprise to know I could run such an event and actually obtain some records.  

The help from John and all of the track participants was and still is my inspiration. They will always be part of my track family. Right now I only come to the track on Fridays because of the time I spend training for my long-distance running. The track is perfect for speed workouts!  

It’s hard to believe that the track runners’ mindset is already about the Nationals in 2022. How fortunate to have a top-of-the-line track facility and amazing runners to earn from and admire. Thank you! 
--Arlene Hanson 

Jumping for Joy  
I was always a good jumper. I had walked on tiptoes as a boy, which developed my calves. In junior high school we only did high jumping once per year, and I missed the competition in the seventh grade. So when the eighth grade competition began, I had no idea how I would do.

​When the bar reached 4’ 9”, the competition narrowed between one very tall kid and me. The coach’s money was on the tall kid, but I cleared the bar with ease and then cleared 5'. I then joined the track team and went on to win the Junior Olympics, and my winning jump was shown on TV.  
 
At 5’ 7” I realized I would never be a true Olympian, so after high school I put jumping aside and focused on my career. However, at 55, I saw a Senior Olympics competition in my area. I went for it and won. I then competed at the state meet in Florida, and finished second.  
--Sandy King