 Lessons From the Long Run
By Alexis Mercer I started running as a sport when I was in 7th grade. It was my first experience with organized sport in school since prior to that point I had participated in dance. My love for running was fueled quickly with the success of our team and that I personally encountered. We won a lot of meets. In fact our 4x200 team was undefeated that year. While it might seem like a small thing being undefeated in a 4x200 relay team for a small school in Northern Michigan, it really wasn’t. Those experiences set me up for a lifetime of seeking success through hard work and determination. Back then I was a sprinter and high jumper. The longest distance I ran was 400 meters (still my favorite distance in track thanks to the fact that it is the race that takes the most guts). My freshman year in high school I joined the cross country team in the fall. That was more of a “I think I’ll try it to get in shape for volleyball” type situation. I had no idea that joining that team would be a complete life changer. Twenty five years later distance running is a major part of my life. Though not always at the forefront of my activities (I played college volleyball, during which time I had 0.000 interest in running farther than 3 miles at a time), it has always been there. I coach cross country and middle school track and occasionally friends who want to either get into running in the first place or get back into running after years off. I am a runner myself as an adult. I have participated in races at distances including 5k, 10k, 10 miles,15k, 25k, and marathons. And I’m now looking at perhaps one day doing an ultramarathon (anywhere from 50k to 100 miles) because my perspective has changed about the barriers I set for myself with distances. Running is about the only thing that hasn’t changed in my world since Covid-19 stay-at-home hit. Granted, the marathon I signed up for in June was cancelled, and all other races between now and then have been cancelled. But the fact that I can lace up my shoes and go outside for a run is still a constant (by myself, practicing social distancing, because I am a responsible member of society who believes scientists that this is the only way to help this situation). My days have been filled with unknowns, uncertainties, confusion, and chaos like the rest of you. And then I go for a run and the world makes a little more sense. So I laced up my Mizunos and walked out the door on Sunday ready for a long, long run. I was feeling particularly unsettled when I began. By the end I was feeling completely restored and also had a list of ways that distance running and life in the Stay Home Stay Safe Covid-19 times are the same.
Maybe your long run is from your front door to the first electric pole. Everyone starts somewhere. It’s my belief that these lessons will be learned regardless of how far your distance run is as long as you keep putting on foot in front of the other and trying again the next day. Life has its twists, turns, surprises, ups, downs, highs, lows and extremes. Running does, too. But running helps to make sense of all of those extremes of life. Now, more than ever, it is comforting to have a healthy activity to help keep perspective.
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 Part of 'The Shrine' By Ken DeLaat In the half bath at N3 World Headquarters and Cloistering Camp one will find a bit of a shrine (as well as a throne of course).Visitors to this sanctum see a lot of baseball related paraphernalia scattered about the one room I was given to decorate all by myself. A glance around the room finds it rife with relics like a bat, a mitt and ball, several photos, player cards, and other items that reveal a keen focus on one particular player. Al Kaline. The announcement of his passing today was the latest in the ever growing roster of famous people from my youth leaving us. Al was an icon and though not Willie Mays Hank Aaron or Mickey Mantle he was ours. And he was damn good. Always a baseball fan but more importantly always a Tiger fan. I recall starting in earnest to follow the game as soon as I could read and decipher the sports pages. This was circa ‘57 or so and the beloved Tigs weren’t exactly at their best during those early years. Prior to ‘57 they had a ’6 year run of failing to finish in the top half of the 8 team American League and that first year of my baseball reckoning they finished a lofty 4th They hovered around the .500 mark mostly those years. And it was during that time a deep and personal loathing of the Yankees flourished. The Yanks crushed the Tiger hopes each year running away with the majority of the pennants and a good share of the World Series titles. Bulldog Frant Lary was a known Yankee Killer from the mound and Don Mossi gave them fits but they hammered on Jim Bunning and Paul Foytack and most of the rest of the American League those days. Even in 1961 when the Tigs ran off 101 victories their 3rd most wins ever, the Yankees finished the season 8 games in front of them. My favorite non-Tiger World Series was the ‘60 version when the Pirates upset the Bronx Bombers. Not because I was fond of Pittsburgh but because I loved seeing the Yanks lose. But I digress. Throughout those years of pennant futility there was one constant. Al. Kaline brought respectability to a team that was often staffed on the field with a good dose of mediocrity .Lou Berberet, Milt Bolling, Steve Bilko and Coot Veal aren’t exactly household names but they were the kind of players one would see filling out a lineup that always had Big Al batting third and playing right field. When they finally got it together in the latter part of the 60’s coming oh so close in ‘67 and culminating in the ‘68 season when they won it all, Kaline was a huge part of their success. Then finally, after a decade and a half of ‘near misses’ and many ‘not even close’ seasons, he had the chance to play in his one and only World Series where he hit .379 belted two homers and two doubles scored 6 times and drove in 8 runs. Later he would move to the broadcasting booth teaming with George Kell as the two swapped stories while pointing out what was happening on the diamond below for just over 20 seasons.. TheTigers haven’t even come close in their efforts to replace the two since they departed. I’ve written before about meeting Ernie Harwell during an interview when he spoke in Fremont years ago. Ernie was the voice of my youth and he often used that voice to speak of Kaline’s accomplishments. But I never got to sit down with Kaline…though I did have a chance encounter with him once. Kind of. Back around the early 70’s the Lions and Cleveland Browns held an exhibition game at U-M stadium. My friend Jim wangled a pair of great seats about 45 yard line maybe 10-15 rows back. It was a hot August day and we had somehow brought copious amounts of beer into the stadium which we imbibed in frequently (like I said it was pretty hot) which led to a most necessary trip to the Men’s facility. My chosen destination had an unusual set up with urinals kind of facing each other in long rows. Then, right in the middle of my...uh...action, I guess, I glanced down the aisle and about 6 spots over facing the other way was Kaline. Al Freaking Kaline. I threw my free hand up and yelled “AL!” He looked over and put his hand up slightly in one of those ‘duly acknowledged but keep it down’ kind of gestures. I stared down toward him as he completed the task and walked away, then once finished I returned to my seat. I told Jim, ‘Hey, I just ran into Al Kaline in the bathroom” “Really? Did you guys talk?” “Kind of,.. “What do you mean 'kind of'?” “Well... he waved at me."   Back row (l to r): Assistant Coach Jason Long, Manager Trevir Kral, Assistant Coach Dan Maki, Anna Brummel, Madison Berwald, Sophia Frisbie, Jessica Sanchez, Riley Goff, Kendall Mathis, Kyla Rounds, Amaya Nelson, Coach Nate Thomasma Front row (l to r): Lily Ruehmeier, Emmerson Goodin, Kayla Fisk, Jaxi Long, Jaylee Long The basketball season was cancelled and the magical run by the Newaygo Lions came to an end not as a loss to a team but to a virus that shut down the season and has altered the lives of all of us. In covering local basketball over the years there have been a select few teams that have held a special place in my heart. Teams that just seemed to have the kind of personality designed to make you want to root for them. This was one. As a gift to the Lady Lions for the courtside thrills they produced it seemed fitting to speculate on what may have happened had the team been allowed to take on the highly regarded West Catholic squad in the Regional Final. And thanks again, girls. Fun ride. It was a classic. The West Cathloic victory machine that had rolled through their schedule with but one loss an early season stumble against a strong Reeths Puffer squad came into Sparta teeming with confidence after seeing the team they had long set their sights on lose to upstart Newaygo. Instead of a battle of basketball titans, a final featuring the #2 and #3 teams in D2, the Falcons would be taking on a team that finished 5 games behind their conference co-leaders. A team no one expected to be playing in the Regional finals. Except for the players themselves and their coaches. After getting past the Packers in the district opener, a team that had twice beaten them during the season they got it going with a pair of convincing wins to head to the Regionals. There they would be looking at GR Christian, the team that seemed destined for a finals matchup with WC. But Jaxi Long capped an epic performance by her team when she canned a three pointer from way way downtown and a shocked Eagle squad left the court wondering what had happened. But now they were up against a team featuring Falcon #1, sophomore sensation and D1 recruit Abbey Kimball, along with all conference teammates Maddie Smith who could light it up from outside, Chrysta Daetwiler, Mia Mileski and freshman phenom Cadence Dykstra. A lot of talent to overcome as well as a distinct advantage in size for the scrappy Lion girls. After WC’s Smith ripped a triple off the opening tip and a steal and bucket by Kimball, the Lions broke the Falcon press and got the ball into the hands of Lily Reuhmeier who got the basket and a trip to the free throw line where she converted to make it a 5-3 game. The next few minutes saw the teams going at it with wild abandon, as Kimball and Jaylee Long battled for breathing room and Mileski tossed a blanket on Jaxi Long denying her possession at every turn. In the meantime, it was Emmerson Goodin who was battling for boards and finding her way to the hoop for 6 of the Lions 15 first quarter points. Sophia Frisbie seeing the Longs tied up kept feeding Goodin and Reuhmeier to keep pace with a Falcon squad that seemed to score at will. The opening period ended with WC holding an 18-15 lead. A slow start to the second saw the Falcons jump out to an 8 point advantage and Coach Nate Thomasma called time and inserted sophomore Kayla Fisk. Fisk responded with a steal and sent a pass to a wide open Jaxi, who fired it in for three, followed by a Jaylee steal that led to her going to the line where she converted a pair and Newaygo was back in the game trailing by just 3. Falcon Coach Jill VanderEnde, who had been a member of West’s state runner-up team in ‘95, called time and her team came out employing a trapping defense once again. A couple of quick turnovers extended their lead but Frisbie buried a pair of triples and Fisk played havoc with the Falcon backcourt leading to a pair of stops. The teams hit the break with West holding a 3 point edge and the look in their eyes told it all. They knew this was a good team they were up against but the Falcons had dominated the OK Blue and were capable of holding teams down with their rugged defense. This was a Lion team that kept getting up off the canvas whenever a punch was delivered. A team that never conceded a single point and fought for everything they got. The Lions came out of intermission to the roar of a substantially pro Newaygo crowd. Their fans, particularly the student section, bellowed their approval for this team of underdogs who went through their warmups with fire in their eyes and exuding a confidence that seemed to transcend the talent of the Falcon team. The second half began like the first except this time it was the Lions who jumped ahead. Frisbie found Kendall Mathis open for a pair of quick buckets and when Fisk deflected a pass it was picked up by Jaylee who ripped a three. Jaxi and Smith twice traded a pair of triples and Goodin fought off a double team to score and draw the foul which she converted and suddenly the Lions had taken charge. Then Kimball caught fire. She scored, forced a turnover and scored again. After Mathis split a pair at the other end Kimball drove for a basket and foul, stole an inbound pass and hit again drawing yet another foul and the Falcons moved in front taking a 2 point lead into the final frame. The 4th was an all-out free for all. Scoring was a premium as the two squads were battling fatigue and yet bringing everything they had to the action taking place on the court. As time wound down Kimball fired a pass to Smith who hit a three to give WC a one point lead with less than a minute left. The Lions called time and the air in the Sparta gym grew thick with tension and apprehension. The Falcons drew back, picking up Frisbie at the half court line. She and Jaylee worked the clock down to just under 20 seconds before finding Mathis who spun to the outside and pushed it out to Jaxi. As time slipped to the 10 second mark Jaxi took the shot but a streaking Kimball leapt to deflect the shot. That’s when the ball found its way into Frisbie’s hands. The senior gathered the ball and let it fly knowing the shot would determine if she had played her final game as a Lion. The off balance toss found the backboard and banked in at the buzzer to give the Lions their 2nd major upset in three days. The Lions were heading for the quarterfinals. The team who gave up size, depth, and everything else to the teams they had just vanquished. Everything, that is, but heart. This was a team of destiny. A team that was molded on the practice floor from day one with a bench consisting of Anna Brummel, Madison Berwald, Jessica Sanchez, Riley Goff, Kyla Rounds, and Amaya Nelson more than willing to give the starters all they could handle in practice to prepare them for the games as well as standing ready when called on to take the court. A team that could overcome adversity and stare failure in the face refusing to yield to it. A team that flat out would refuse to lose. As they drank in the sweetness of victory surrounded by the fans who have embraced them this season the smiles on their faces told it all. After the game in a group interview they joked and teased each other about the game.They gave the Falcon girls a lot of credit and did the same with their coaches. Then one of them said ‘Who do we play next?” And another answered. “Doesn’t really matter does it?” And they laughed again. In unison. Ken DeLaat- N3 Sports |
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