Most Inspirational Runner Ever

[Marlow]

I see there's a link to a vote on the above and I gotta say that the two for me were:

1. Joan Benoit - I was practically bawling like a baby as she ran away from the field in LA 84.
2. The woman who crawled across the finish line in that 1980s Ironman competition, after she had lost all control of her bodily functions due to complete exhaustion. After I saw that, I never again whined to myself that I was tired during a work-out.

[highjumpfan]

I see the first round has Terry Fox pitted against Pre. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I don't understand how a talented athlete who cut his career short by driving drunk can be considered inspirational. When it was announced that Elvis died one industry insider reprtedly said "Good career move". Saddly much the same could be said about Pre.
While he might have gone on to become a great runner, his actions in life certainly don't qualify him in my book for inspirational, rather a cautionary tale.

[Marlow]

I see the first round has Terry Fox pitted against Pre. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I don't understand how a talented athlete who cut his career short by driving drunk can be considered inspirational. When it was announced that Elvis died one industry insider reprtedly said "Good career move". Saddly much the same could be said about Pre.
While he might have gone on to become a great runner, his actions in life certainly don't qualify him in my book for inspirational, rather a cautionary tale.

Pre's lifestyle was not the issue, his running was. Yes, he did inspire me.

[malmo]

Re: Most Inspirational Runner Ever

I see there's a link to a vote on the above and I gotta say that the two for me were:

2. The woman who crawled across the finish line in that 1980s Ironman competition, after she had lost all control of her bodily functions due to complete exhaustion. After I saw that, I never again whined to myself that I was tired during a work-out.

She was Julie Moss. That wasn't inspirational, that was horrible.

[The Captain]

Jane Tomlinson

[malmo]

I see the first round has Terry Fox pitted against Pre. At the risk of sounding blasphemous, I don't understand how a talented athlete who cut his career short by driving drunk can be considered inspirational. When it was announced that Elvis died one industry insider reprtedly said "Good career move". Saddly much the same could be said about Pre.
While he might have gone on to become a great runner, his actions in life certainly don't qualify him in my book for inspirational, rather a cautionary tale.

Pre's lifestyle was not the issue, his running was. Yes, he did inspire me.

Yes, lifestyle is the issue. Pre cudda been inspirational but he isn't. I remember the day he died like it was yesterday. It took your breath away like you were kicked in the stomach. What a waste of a life.

To drink and drive is to sacrifice the gift.

[kuha]

I don't really agree. Personal failings are...well, failings, pure and simple...and just about every human being has them. What athletes do on the track is akin to what artists do in their studios...MOST of the time, it's separate from what they do off the track or outside the studio. Is Charlie Parker any less "inspiring" because he had several elephants worth of demons on his back (and died at the age of 34)? Everyone has their own reading of these issues, of course, but I'd tend to separate professional accomplishment from the other stuff.

[SQUACKEE]

I don't really agree. Personal failings are...well, failings, pure and simple...and just about every human being has them. What athletes do on the track is akin to what artists do in their studios...MOST of the time, it's separate from what they do off the track or outside the studio. Is Charlie Parker any less "inspiring" because he had several elephants worth of demons on his back (and died at the age of 34)? Everyone has their own reading of these issues, of course, but I'd tend to separate professional accomplishment from the other stuff.

Yes, Hendrix is a perfect example also. If he didnt inspire guitar players no one did!

Pre did not inspire me to drink and drive but i love the way he ran and he still inspires me when im red lining. Thanx Pre!

[malmo]

I don't really agree. Personal failings are...well, failings, pure and simple...and just about every human being has them. What athletes do on the track is akin to what artists do in their studios...MOST of the time, it's separate from what they do off the track or outside the studio. Is Charlie Parker any less "inspiring" because he had several elephants worth of demons on his back (and died at the age of 34)? Everyone has their own reading of these issues, of course, but I'd tend to separate professional accomplishment from the other stuff.

I'm sorry, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, John Belushi, Prefontaine, none of them inspire me.

Lenny Skutnik and Wesley Autrey -- now those guys are who I call inspirational!

[mojo]

You non Canukians will have no idea as to what a hero Terry Fox is up here.

Simply one of the most inspirational people of all time.


I was so sick of Pre by the time I left the Trials this summer that I can't even stand to think about the guy. Loads of people run/ran just as hard and with as much passion as he did. It is a whole lot of hype plus he was in the right place at the right time.


But who am I to judge another person's hero? :wink: :lol: :P

[SQUACKEE]

You non Canukians will have no idea as to what a hero Terry Fox is up here.

Simply one of the most inspirational people of all time.


I was so sick of Pre by the time I left the Trials this summer that I can't even stand to think about the guy. Loads of people run/ran just as hard and with as much passion as he did. It is a whole lot of hype plus he was in the right place at the right time.


But who am I to judge another person's hero? :wink: :lol: :P

Your reaction to all the Pre hype at the trails is completely understandable. I can only tell from my heart that to watch Pre when i was high school distance runner was pure magic, it just was. Now...Good day to you woman!

[mojo]

You non Canukians will have no idea as to what a hero Terry Fox is up here.

Simply one of the most inspirational people of all time.


I was so sick of Pre by the time I left the Trials this summer that I can't even stand to think about the guy. Loads of people run/ran just as hard and with as much passion as he did. It is a whole lot of hype plus he was in the right place at the right time.


But who am I to judge another person's hero? :wink: :lol: :P

Your reaction to all the Pre hype at the trails is completely understandable. I can only tell from my heart that to watch Pre when i was high school distance runner was pure magic, it just was. Now...Good day to you woman!

Oh dispense with the formalities and tell me to F off!

:lol: :wink:

My hero in high school was Mary Decker!

[nevetsllim]

I thought Reiko Tosa's performance at last year's World Champs was very inspirational. Sheer guts.

[gh]

I don't want to call it "revisionist history" because the facts surrounding Pre's demise haven't changed in the interim, but if you're voting for inspirational in the actual time frame, he's hard to beat. He had a cult following that you'd find hard to believe if you didn't live through it.

Public perceptions on drunk driving have also changed mightily since then. (For the better, I might add.) There was no MADD in those days, court penalties were minimal and rather than social disapprobation, I think many people just thought, "there but for the grace of god..."

[mojo]

Surely Gh you know that Fox when he was alive inpsired an entire nation and to this day runs are held in his honour around the world. As a result millions and millions of dollars have been raised to fund cancer research.

I guess you were not living up here the day Terry had to announce that they had found cancer in his lungs and he had to abandon his run. It was a national moment akin to JFK being shot- I don't think there was a dry eye in the country.

Everything Pre did was for Pre (like most elite athletes)-not so with Terry.

I expect to hear that Pre ran for his school, country, Eugene etc.-all elite athletes do that -but in the end being an athlete is a pretty self centered endeavor.

Terry was more than an athlete-he used running as a way to raise awareness and money. It was never about him.

But I do get that most Americans have no clue about Terry's journey or his life.