The time I saw Glenn Cunningham

For several years the Ground Hog Day Marathon had been the unofficial (may later have been official, not sure) state championship marathon in Arkansas. Under the leadership of local parts store operator Bob Wade, it was moved to Booneville for many years, then left, and now is back again. Because it was one of the last qualifying races for the Boston Marathon, it had excellent participation for a while. Winter marathons can result in some pretty disgusting sights, because when the weather is particularly cold, as it usually is in February, any fluids flowing from any opening in the face will freeze.

One year, as a special promotional effort for the face, Wade somehow was able to bring in Glenn Cunningham as a guest speaker in a pre-race event. Cunningham, of course, is an American legend, having had his legs badly burned in a childhood fire, but persevering to become one of the great middle-distance runners of his time. He took the silver medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, and set several world records. Needless to say, this was a real coup for little Booneville to have him visit.

One interesting feature of his visit was his stance on the USA's non-participation in the 1980 Moscow Olympics because of their invasion of Afghanistan. Cunningham strongly supported the country's action, saying that there are things more important than sports.