It all started for me with the Summer Olympics of 1984. I was 7 years old. My oldest brother leaned in towards the TV screen during the opening ceremonies and pointed to an athlete marching in and simply said "that's Sebastian Coe". He phrased it in a way that told me I should know this guy. I burned the athlete's name and image into my young and impressionable mind. An older brother's words are gospel at that age, you know. Could he or I imagine that I'd carry that gospel with me for next 23 years?
A few weeks later I watched Seb Coe do the unthinkable. At least it was unthinkable to almost all but Seb and his closest friends and family. He ran against everyone that doubted him and for everyone that believed. Against all odds, he missed almost all of the previous year to a debilitating sickness, toxoplasmosis, Seb Coe rose to the occasion. He crossed the line as the first man in Olympic history to repeat as 1500m champion. I was hooked.
If I fail to mention Joanie Benoit and her marathon in those same Olympics I would not be telling you the whole story. I sat with my mom and watched as that little sparkplug from Maine challenged the world three miles into the 26 mile trial of fire to "try, just try to stay with me". They all thought she'd come back. 23 miles later as she entered the dark solitude of the tunnel that leads into the sunny LA Coliseum, her last moments alone before she would hit the track for a final lap in full view of the 100,000 fans present and billions more watching on TV's around the world, she thought to herself "my life will never be the same". I wonder how many others watching that day knew theirs too, would never be the same. I was awestruck at the grace and purity of the moment. Granted, at 30 looking back I can say this. But, sometimes it takes a bit of time to realize just what those feelings were that you felt so long ago. At 7, I just knew that I understood.
About 20 minutes after Joan Benoit finished her historical marathon victory another women's marathoner was waging an epic battle on the LA track. Swiss athlete Gabriele Andersen-Scheiss was embarking on a 5 minute last lap around the Coliseum. Massive dehydration and heat stroke had weakened her to such an extent that all she could do was stagger from lane 1 to 8 and back as she tried to circle the track. Step by excruciating step she fought on. The doctors on hand were unable to help her in any way. If they had she would be disqualified only meters from the finish. The stadium was riveted. The world watched anxiously. She crossed that line on her own. It was a supreme effort.,
For a 7 year old boy watching all these events unfold in his den in 1984, and for a 30 year old man reminiscing years later in 2006, the lessons learned remain the same. The challenge of this sport and the simplicity of that challenge is what was and still is the draw for me. My foundation as an athlete was laid with Seb Coe screaming to the British Press Corps "Believe in me NOW" after crossing that line for gold, with Joanie Benoit running into and out of the great unknown alone, and finally with Gabriele Andersen-Scheiss. For it was Andersen-Scheiss that showed me at age 7 that crossing that white line is about more than the clock. That 5 minute last lap is still the greatest and most powerful lap I've ever seen. Many have finished with a higher place. Many have finished faster. But, no one has finished one better.
Cheers!
Chris Bennett, a native of the Jersey Shore, attended Christian Brothers Academy where he ran on 3 NJ All Group State Championship Teams. Chris went on to captain the University of North Carolina Cross Country and Track teams. After graduation Chris to Palo Alto, CA to run for the Nike Farm Team for over 5 years. He has run 1:51 for 800, 3:43 for 1500m, 14:10 for 5000m and most importantly the Big Loop at CBA in under 7 minutes. He credits any and all knowledge he has or pretends to have regarding running to a series of excellent coaches he has had: Tom Heath at CBA, Joan Nesbit-Mabe, Jerry Schumacher and Mike Whittlesey at UNC, and Jeff Johnson, Vin Lannana, Frank \"Gags\" Gagliano, Jack Daniels, and Ray Appenheimer while with the Farm Team.
He\'s married to Tammie with two incredible kids, Jack age 3 and Maggie age 1.