Track and Field Blogs - Lindsey Anderson

Merry Christmas in about a week! It's been a great winter so far, pretty cold, but good! It does make running a little more challenging but the training has been going well and I do enjoy the season changes we get to experience in Utah. Anyway, my Father-in-Law used to write short stories for a local newspaper in my hometown. He ran for many years of his life and still holds some of the course records for his age-group in some of the road races around Utah. I wanted to share one of his many short stories with you. I think you'll enjoy it because it's about something we all have witnessed . . .


The Miracle of Moab
by Gerald Anderson
March 30, 1984

As a young boy I grew up being told about miracles that had happened, but I never thought I would live to see the miracle that I witnessed last weekend.
My wife and I drove to Moab so I could run in a five-mile race. At 8:00 a.m. that morning I boarded a bus and was taken five miles out of town and let out. As I warmed up for the start and began talking to the other runners, my heart jumped for joy because every runner in the race had some serious type of physical problem.
The problems that the others had ranged from chapped lips to major back problems. It was as though they had emptied every hospital ward in the four-corner area and loaded them on stretchers and put them on the bus and brought them up to this race. I could hardly contain my joy, knowing that for once I was going to win a race.
As we lined up at the start my heart went out to those poor invalids that were going to try to hobble their five miles. As the gun went off, I witnessed one of the greatest group healings I have ever seen. When the dust cleared, I was the only one still around at the starting line. Scattered around were an assortment of crutches, bandages, and a big pile of excuses.
I can tell local doctors in all sincerity, if you have a patient that has a lingering illness, all you need to do to cure it is take them out in the middle of the road, whisper in one ear, “get ready,” then fire a pistol off in the other ear. It may take the Doc about two miles before he can run them down, but I’ll guarantee he’ll never have them as patients again.
I’ve always felt running was good for you, but I never realized it had such healing powers.