Banking on Bob Beamon - When Opportunity Knocks

Dumb and Dumber? No Chance

Some people look at a daunting opportunity and say, “That’s not for me.” Others consider it and say, “Bring it on.” I will do the latter and give my all, but that may not be enough. I may need a Beamonesque!

A Glimmer of Hope

“So you’re telling me there’s a chance?” The memorable line from the movie Dumb and Dumber didn’t allude to sports ambition, but it certainly applies. I think of it often when it comes to my marathon running dreams.

Let me start at the beginning. I have heard this dreaded question too often and for too many years to count, "Have you run the Boston Marathon?" It’s the one event that even non-runners have heard of, so it’s a question I receive from about everyone when they know I’m a runner.

My answer has been truthful, “No,” with a drooping face. You see, Boston is the gold standard when it comes to marathons. Its' the world's oldest annual marathon, going back to 1897, the year after the first Olympic Games. It took the recent global pandemic to halt the race from being held, as it occurred during both World Wars.

Here's the thing. If you can't say yes to that query, one's marathon's credibility is in short supply, and that is where I sit. But, perhaps no more? I have a plan! I mean a dream which has the same odds as the woman in Dumb and Dumber gave Jim Carrey, “More like one out of a million.” Being an optimist, I will take it.

And here’s a little more background. What makes Boston so distinguished is that not anyone can enter the race like most marathons. One must qualify for the Boston Marathon by being under a specific time in a previous race. It takes a time of 4 hours and 5 minutes for those aged 65 – 69 to qualify for Boston. Even my best time of 15 marathons has been a half-hour slower than that.

I have two options available as I see it. One, find at least a half-hour of speed, which is a terrifying thought at my age. Two, I could wait and hope to stay healthy because when I get to seventy years old, the time increases to qualify to four hours and twenty minutes. That second plan presents a serious “IF” and challenge. What to do? I will go for it and work to shave many minutes off my previous best, even with Father Time breathing down my neck. But it gets me to my thoughts of Bob Beamon and why I remain ever hopeful.

Bob Beamon Story

I know I’m dating myself with this one, so here goes for those who don’t know Bob Beamon. Although favored to win the gold in the 1968 Olympic long jump, Beamon broke the world record by an astonishing two feet. Up to that time, the record was broken by a few inches at a time. With a jump of 29.5 feet, he set a record that took 23 years to break and is still the Olympic record, 53 years and counting. The jump, which came out of nowhere, is still the second-longest wind-legal jump in history. Known as “The Perfect Jump,” it was written he was “The man who saw lightning.” Sports Illustrated named it one of the five greatest sports moments of the last century.

Beamonesque was used after Beamon’s record-breaking jump to describe spectacular feats. So, my mission, and I choose to accept it, is to pull off a Perconteesque and qualify for the Boston Marathon. Here’s the thing, the opportunity is there, and I must chase it down by following the opportunity trail.

Opportunity Trail Door opens with:

Gratefulness

I have two months until official training for the Marine Corps Marathon, so along with some workouts, mental preparation is critical. It’s time to build up the excitement and dedication to give my all. That preparation begins with a quote by Chicago Bear great Mike Singletary, “Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.” That is a good line because I never want to take it for granted that I have been fortunate to stay healthy enough to be in the game. Every time I lace up the shoes, I give thanks.

Effort

Even with opportunity, Thomas Edison addresses a problem. He said, “Most people miss opportunity because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Ah, no escaping the toil and tribulation that comes with reaching beyond the point one ever thought they could go. The road is never easy, but finding a way and giving what you got makes it all worth it.

Resilience  

And when Albert Einstein says something, it’s worth listening to, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” With any worthwhile endeavor, tough times will come. How one approaches them will determine the outcome. One can choose to look at something as impossible and never try to do it, or believe in a Bob Beamon moment and jump over the moon.   

Finally, race driver Bobby Unser knew the street where victory lives, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.” And I might add, help from the lightning never hurts.

Happy Trails!