My long time running friend and team mate just posted a very thoughtful tribute to his coach of many years -
As many of you know my great friend, coach, and mentor John Gilmore passed away on Thursday in Perth, Western Australia. Even at the age of 99 his passing came as a great shock to me. To say he was a fixture in my life is very much an understatement. I have known John for 39 of my 53 years and during that time his example has helped to inspire, ground, and enable me to live the life I wanted.
It’s right to celebrate his lifetime of achievements in sport, service to country and the community, of which he helped shape. I asked myself - how would John want to be remembered? The answer I got back was to share these simple, yet powerful lessons he coached into young athletes in the West Australian track and distance running community.
John was a great runner and his marks on the track and roads will be remembered and discussed as we mourn his passing. Let me focus on another legacy John left for many of us in the sport he loved.
Here is what John Gilmore taught me.
• Have a plan.
This was the advice I needed the most! I always trained and worked hard, but not always in the right direction. John convinced me to plan ahead, for everything; the next race,…..the next season,…… the next age group,……and for life.
Ask around, get some advice. Buy in and commit to a plan. Be detailed and deliberate. Execute and celebrate your successes!
• Become a student of your sport/endeavor.
John broke many type casts when it came to improving his knowledge of the sport. He consumed the growing resources available on training and racing voraciously! He read every book, article and research paper on any number of topics to help grow his knowledge. He sought out and tried all the best tech, shoes and clothing. He used his racing trips overseas to talk to other athletes and pick their brain about what works and what doesn’t. He instilled in us that Perth maybe a long way from anywhere but that was no excuse not to search, evaluate, and modify cutting edge training tools or methods from around the world.
• Live life.
John had several hobbies in his life outside athletics. The one I enjoyed watching him do the most was ballroom dancing with his wife Alma. They were a very formidable dancing pair and enjoyed this aspect of their lives for many years! Developing other interests helps and athlete keep balance in life and not develop into self-centered, head cases!
• Don’t give up!
Many people have only read about or seen the fruits of Johns sporting achievements. The records, the world titles, and other victories. In amongst these highlights there were many seasons ruined by injury – most running related, some not. (He was once hit by a car trying to cross traffic in front of the Colosseum in Rome). His approach to injuries and other setbacks was to attack them with the same zeal as his regular training. Every surgery, every physio appointment, every ice bath was treated as part of a plan to return to fitness and racing to execute the goal he set. I believe this attitude was an important reason for the longevity of his career and ability to overcome setbacks.
This was an important lesson for me as in my youth, I thought I was impervious to injury and considered the only rehab needed was to simply “drop the mileage a bit, and run through it”
• Serve your community.
John started the Canning Districts Athletics Club in 1950. When I joined the club in 1981 he had already been president/ coach for over 30 years. During that time he had coached hundreds of athletes of all abilities up to national level. I joined the club at the midpoint of Johns 60 year plus coaching career. During a family visit to Perth in 2015, I took my two kids to his workout where they joined others in a cross country session lead and monitored by John – who was 96 years young at the time.
John’s spirit lives on in more than just the pages of the books and articles written about his life and achievements. He had a direct impact on the development and formation of generations of young West Australia athletes, including myself. I am forever grateful, and in awe of John’s contribution to the sport we shared a passion for. He touched many lives with his quietly spoken outlook on life and has made friends all over the world.
Congratulations John, a life well led!
Rest in peace.