Tell me a great story of how you interacted with an Elite athlete, whether running, shopping, etc.

[quote]kyleohbrien wrote:

Working at World Market this morning in Boulder Alan Culpepper came to my register. I wasn't sure if it was him at first, I've never seen him in person, but he looked so familiar I was sure it was him. So at the end of the transaction I finally asked if his name was Alan, he said yes. We then talked for a minute after that, really nice guy.[/quote

You should've asked about his brother Tim.

pre841 wrote:

[quote]kyleohbrien wrote:

Working at World Market this morning in Boulder Alan Culpepper came to my register. I wasn't sure if it was him at first, I've never seen him in person, but he looked so familiar I was sure it was him. So at the end of the transaction I finally asked if his name was Alan, he said yes. We then talked for a minute after that, really nice guy.[/quote

You should've asked about his brother Tim.

hehe you made an insider's joke hehe

A few more: chatted up Ed Whitlock before the start of Crim about half a dozen years ago. Dinner w/Greg Meyer & Joan Samuelson @ Crim '10. Shared a meal & run w/Phil Coppess in Coamo, PR @ San Blas in '89 - Ibrahim Hussein joined us one day. Shared brand new news of Meb Keflezighi's American 10,000m track record a couple years ago w/Khalid Khannouchi @ Flying Pig Marathon. He commented that Meb probably wouldn't receive as much acclaim as an American-born record setter. I noted he probably knew something about acclaim & recognition (he was going thru becoming an American citizen) and he said, w/a touch of reserve, 'Yes'. Boston Billy walked in about then and I shared the news about Meb and he said he was happy for him. Ran a ways w/Don Kardong along a creek parkway in D.C. & beat him in a trivia contest @ the Ultimate Runner in mid 80s.

I wouldn't call these 'great stories' - more like normal interaction w/well-known folks. As has been noted here - in all instances, the well-known acted like everyday 'joe's & jane's'. Except Don K - he's from a parallel universe!

Drinks and dinner and other hanging-out with Roger Bannister. Talked about marathoning, mostly. He autographed a copy of his book for me.

Long lunch with Bill Bowerman, who apologized for showing short-term memory problems and blamed it on having been careless with glues and organic solvents.

Spent some time with Fred Lebow in 1980 . . . somebody asked if it was true that NYC paid prize and appearance money, and he said without hesitating, "Of course, but I'll never admit it publicly."

Ran with Ryan wrote:

Ran with Ryan Hall for a minute or so...He's a super nice guy and really seemed genuine. Sara was there also along with Bart Yasso.

In 2000 I met Sara bei (hall) at footlocker nationals... I was injured with a stress fracture limping around on crutches. I had on a glam rocker hair wig and an unlit Marlboro between my lips as I vocalized my appreciation for all the runner babes around. She was one of the primary recipients of said affection. I don't remember much of the particulars, but I recently came across a picture off us and 2 other FL finalists from the day.

I met Steve Scott in the mid-1980s - at a local shoe store event.

I was in a flat spot in my running and he said a few good things that helped me get going again.

Does getting a double cheek kiss and hug from a 3:52 marathoner count?

http://tinyurl.com/c59beq3

http://tinyurl.com/czkdoz7

Hiloboy wrote:

Drinks and dinner and other hanging-out with Roger Bannister. Talked about marathoning, mostly. He autographed a copy of his book for me.

Long lunch with Bill Bowerman, who apologized for showing short-term memory problems and blamed it on having been careless with glues and organic solvents.

Spent some time with Fred Lebow in 1980 . . . somebody asked if it was true that NYC paid prize and appearance money, and he said without hesitating, "Of course, but I'll never admit it publicly."

At least Lebow admitted the rooted hypocrisy. That's more than most LR dwellers can manage.

He said he'd rather lie than be responsible for making Shorter or Rodgers or anybody else ineligible.

I thought of two more.

Jacqueline Gareau (Boston Marathon winner the Rosie Ruiz year) came to be the official/honorary starter of the Skylon International Marathon (Buffalo NY to Niagara Falls Ontario), maybe 1978 or 1979. I was on the race committee.

There was a press conference and a lunch and one of the Canadian officials choked on something. Gareau, a respiratory therapist by training, jumped up from the head table, ran over, and did Heimlich on the guy. As soon as the choking noise started, she was on it. No waiting to see what it was all about.

Either that year or the next, she was in Buffalo as the featured runner in a women's 10K. She won handily, and afterwards we all went for lunch to a house near the park where almost everybody ran. After lunch she said (through an interpreter) that she wanted to run another 10k, and who would come along? Me. So I got to run 4 times around the park in public with her, at a decent pace. People waved. People took pictures. It was very cool.

The chairman of the Harvard Physics Department John Huth used to post on Dyestat back in the day.

Ran into Charles Barkley in the high limit room at Mandalay Bay maybe 15 years ago. Super chill guy, MASSIVE hand, mine disappeared when he shook it.

Turned in 700k worth of chips, paid off a 300 or 400k marker, took the rest in cash. Stuffed it in a bag, handed it to one of his crew to bring up to the room. Most cash I ever saw in person

The first half marathon I trained for was Phoenix RnR when Haille G broke the world record. I was just out of HS, and my 5k PR was 18flat.

Going through 5k in 18:10, I was running with two guys with (to my ears) english/irish/aussie accents. We were chatting, and when I saw the split, I said something along the lines of ,"way too fast for me, have a good race guys." To which one of them replied, "don't be such a --ucking pu--y."

So I sacked up and set 10k and 10 mile PRS, only to crash and run the last three miles in 7,8, and 9 minutes.

The runner who was prodding me...none other than Keith Kelly. He was running with his tri buddy and they were just trying to get under 600 pace.

We chatted at the finish, good dude!

I slept with a U.S. female Olympic marathoner and more recently in a relationship with a famous steeplechaser who changed allegiances.

Both wonderful fun ladies with many interests outside of athletics. There's no 'wow' factor involved and that's what they appreciate.

Summer of 1983 I went to a summer all comers track meet at George Mason University to run the 1500. There were maybe 5 of us in the race. GMU had recruited a young runner who just arrived on campus a few days earlier. We ran together for the first 1200 and then he dusted me the last 300. The other runner was Abdi Bile who won the world championship a few years later.

Back in 2009 was in Addis Ababa adopting a brother/sister just before the Ethiopian Christmas. Pulled up to a red light, saw a dirty dusty Benz to my left. It was Haile Gebrselassie. I panicked, rolled my window down, spoke no Amharic, pulled off one of my running shoes and pointed to it (I guess to say, I'm a runner too). He motions for me to pull over, we get out, chat a bit because of course he speaks decent English. I note that Dubai is coming up and he says , Yes, I'm ready.

Too many to mention right now but the oddest was Shawn Kemp and I were having a beer together in a Seattle Bar. It was less than two hours before the game started.

I had to read your post way to many times before I figured out that the "MASSIVE hand" you spoke of wasn't a hand of cards.