An All-Star Cast

Author: Michael deLisle

Okay, so it’s been thirty years since I started this “job.” Thirty. Exactly. Can’t think of too many other things I’ve done for thirty years. It’s kind of a long time. Things have changed a lot over that period of time.

Like the rotating cast of characters who’ve put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard in the process of contributing articles, stories, essays to this publication we still call Footnotes. Articles and stories mostly about running, but not always. I’m the biggest offender, frequently abusing the bully pulpit to rant and rave about all kinds of things, issue after issue. Sometimes it’s been hard to do, sometimes easy. This issue will be easy — except it’s gonna take a while, cuz I’m gonna try to salute at least the most illustrious of the brilliant writers who’ve made Footnotes my labor of love, as well as the ticking heart of the track club for all these many years.

To start with, hats off to the only other KTC member who’s done this writing gig as long as I have. Longer, in fact. When I started in 1992, Bob Godwin, a youngster in his 40s and an excellent cyclist and runner, was already penning his Biking With Bob column. And he’s still at it, employing his sharp eye, keen wit, and kind soul to describe the world as seen from two wheels. A biking column in a running magazine? Sure. It’s fitness, too, and something we all did as kids and many of us still enjoy doing. Thanks, Robert. May you keep rolling down the road.

The editor from whom I inherited this job was Jonas Holdeman. Long gone from Knoxville, teaching and coaching in West Tennessee and Virginia, his sphere of influence still lights up each year’s Big South Fork Trail Race, which he co-directed with Bobby Glenn at its inception, and has contributed colorful and conversation-inducing designs for each of the 29 years of this grand old race.

But it wasn’t just Jonas who passed the helm my way. Donnie Baldock was the tech whiz who taught me the basics of computer graphic design and layout, guiding me through the first few issues before also leaving KTown for Memphis, where he still runs and raises big bucks for St. Judes. Helluva guy.

And then there’s the man to whom no one mastered the art of saying no. Longtime KTC Executive Director Allan Morgan took me for a run through Sequoyah Hills in the summer of ‘92 and surprised me while in the throes of oxygen deprivation by asking if I wanted to become editor of the club newsletter. Startled, I opened my mouth, intending to graciously refuse, and instead heard my breathless reply agreeing to do it. Allan’s leadership of the club for some seventeen years took us through the most rapid period of growth and development this club has ever seen, and his writing over the years helped chronicle those changes. To this day, the club owes Allan a major debt of gratitude.

During my 30+ year involvement with KTC, we’ve had several Executive Directors, including Kristy Altman, Betty Schohl, Bobby Glenn, and our current ED, David Black, all of whom contributed an article every issue. As for club Presidents, there have been upwards of a dozen who have also submitted bimonthly articles. Every one of the directors has been a reasonably skilled communicator and composed thoughtful, informative pieces to the magazine. It would be nice to say that all of our esteemed leaders were also punctual, for in the majority of cases, this would be true. But through the years, the individuals whose articles needed to be chased down were almost exclusively those in the leadership positions, generating some of the more frustrating moments I’ve experienced.

Also chronically late were various race directors. It’s possible they haven’t always had it explained to them that part of their job includes writing a postrace recap for Footnotes, but regardless, I’ve had to spend too much time reaching out with emails, texts, Facebook messages, and phone calls, beseeching recalcitrant RDs to do the final, apparently distasteful, piece of the broad scoped job they’ve agreed to.

Other, usually longterm, race directors have simplified that task by submitting basically the same writeup each year, just plugging in a few details about the weather, volunteers, sponsors, and results of the race. Not sure they realize that I recognize their shortcuts, but I appreciate their efforts nonetheless.

A loosely confederated group of writers has, though their disjointed efforts, made this job quite fun (as opposed to the ulcer-inducing task of chasing down overdue submissions as the deadline approaches and often passes.) We’ve been blessed over the year with just a few of these talented humorists, most notably Sherman Ames and Randall Pierce, whose contributions ranged from satirical to sublimely and subtly funny to ridiculously uproarious. It was always a treat to watch their uniquely ascerbic words appear onscreen and end up (at least for many years) on the printed page.

We’ve also enjoyed the earnest efforts of many speed merchants over the years. Articles like The Faster Master, penned by a number of quickfooted forty plussers, and Mac on Track (early efforts from noted coach Greg MacMillen when he lived and trained here) offered glimpses into the painful and sweaty world of speedwork and hard training. After all, we are a track club and we primarily put on races, and races ARE about running fast, right? The musings and technical explorations of a whole stable of speedsters for years formed part of the backbone of Footnotes and has been something I’ve frankly missed over the past few years.

I held the lofty goal when I began this column of saluting nearly everyone who’s contributed to this august publication, but I’m realizing that in thirty years, there’s probably been a hundred or more, and without days of research and many additional text-rich, eye-glazing pages tagged onto this overlate issue, that’s not going to be possible.

Thus I’m forced to close with a broad statement of gratitude and love, directed at the marvelous stable of writers who’ve made this job largely a labor of love for a staggering three decades. And being both editor and columnist (penning an article or two in each of these 180 issues) of a running magazine has blended multiple loves nurtured over the course of my years. I wrote my first “book” at age five, edited the school newspaper in second grade and throughout junior high school, and even written a number of unpublished novels. Throughout most of my life I have also been a runner, interscholastically and as an adult. Even during these late years when I’m not able to do more than walk and hike, it still forms a big part of my identity. I’ve been lucky to combine these two loves in a format that has earned me far more than a few dollars. It’s been one of the most satistying things I’ve ever done. Thanks for the opportunity, the readership, and the support. It’s been a great run.