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ORCA Scouting Coordinator
As you may know, 11,500 people have been selected nationwide as torchbearers for the Olympic Torch Relay. Approximately 7200 of them were selected through a contest in which more than 200,000 people were nominated by individuals who wrote an essay explaining how the nominee embodied the Olympic spirit and provided inspiration to their communities, inspired others to greater achievement or had overcome great adversity. A separate contest was held to select 2,000 "Support Runners" on similar criteria. Support Runners are "the guardians of the Olympic Flame" and escort the torchbearers in the Torch Relay. Each support runner usually runs three segments of the relay, in other words escorting three separate torchbearers.
My son Dan nominated me. It's fairly sobering knowing that someone, especially your child, thinks this highly of you and looks on you as a role model. I must be doing something right…
Since we were short on support runners, I got to run six segments with six torchbearers, each segment being two-tenths of a mile. One of our jobs was to smile and wave. I did mine well. I had many friends and family members cheering me on.
The logistics and coordination of the Olympic Flame Relay is astounding. The people, both torchbearers and relay folks, are awesome.
Our shuttle driver and guide had a notebook about 30 pages long containing today's checklist. They get another notebook tomorrow. They had detailed directions to everywhere and everybody's name in that list.
I met a group of 12 torchbearers and two other support runners Tuesday morning. Two Olympic Torch Relay people were assigned to us to make sure we knew what to do. After introductions, an orientation and pictures, we were loaded in a motor coach (picture a 24 passenger shuttle bus from a retirement center) to be taken to our starting points. Along the way, we pulled over and parked so we could all share our stories of why we were nominated and how we came to be torch runners. One man about age 65 said "I'm recovering from a little accident and I'm working up to running triathalons." Our tour guide, who had seen all the nominating letters and essays told us the man left out a few details - he'd broken his neck and the doctors said he'd never walk again. There were no dry eyes in our bus by the end of the stories. These were truly inspirational people.
Our route went past an elementary school, a high school and the University of Oregon. The crowds and people were amazing. At the elementary school, the kids were packed so tightly on both sides of the road that the bus could barely squeeze through. The organizers made the runners' job effortless. We didn't have to worry about what to do next; there was always someone at our side to guide us. When the bus stopped for the first runner to get off, our bus went silent as we all realized "this is REALLY it!" Most of the course went by in a blur of faces and tears. It was like having tunnel vision or looking through a fish-eye lens.
Our shuttle bus would stop and a runner would get out and step to the side of the road. A relay person was there immediately turning on the gas in the torch. The TV camera truck would go be 50 yards behind our shuttle and right behind the camera truck comes a torchbearer running his torch. Light the torch and go with your support runner and another relay employee runner alongside clearing the way and making sure you know what to do. Before you know it, there's another torchbearer standing on the side of the road waiting for you. Light his torch and in seconds another relay person is turning the gas off in your torch. The trailing shuttle bus pulls up and calls your name. Just like clockwork….
I said the runners were selected because they are inspirational people. Here
are the six people I ran with:
§ Cheryl-Lynn was a single mom for many years as she raised her five
kids. She now runs a shelter home for single moms. Her adult daughter nominated
her. Cheryl-Lynn was hit by a car a year ago and has been in severe back pain
ever since. She wanted me to carry her torch. When I told her "thanks,
but this is your torch", she cried and said "I can't do this without
you. Hold my hand and we'll carry it together". We walked because she
couldn't run.
§ Jim is a retired Marine sergeant. He fought in Korea and served two
tours in Viet Nam. You may have heard a story on the news a few years ago
from Roseburg Oregon about a general who was killed defending his wife from
a burglar. Jim went to Viet Nam with that general. Jim raised the money and
got the organization in place to name the local airfield after the general.
§ Nick is in high school. He's in sports - track, cross country, lacrosse,
baseball and a few others. He also plays violin in the orchestra and gets
high grades. His dad thinks he's a great kid and nominated him.
§ Rick is Nick's dad. The Olympic Flame Relay organizers were so impressed
with Rick's letter they called him up and said "how would you like to
run too?".
§ Dan also impressed the organizers with his nomination of his brother
and was selected to run.
§ Dan's brother Billy is physically handicapped and a gold medalist in
three Special Olympics sports.
Two of the other runners are mountain climbers, another has been "clean and sober" for 20 years and volunteers in alcohol treatment centers, another has a form of cerebal palsey that she refuses to let stop her, another is a struggling college student who won't give up. There was the man recovering from the broken neck and another support runner who's daughter (same age as my son) nominated him because he's a great dad. Try telling your kid "thank you" for that with dry eyes…. I couldn't do it.
Our tour guide was no exception. He decided to quit his job and "make a difference". He started an organization which raises money for charities at no charge to the charities. He raises millions of dollars each year. He was a volunteer on the relay, averaging four hours sleep per night escorting three groups of runners per day. He was on day 47.
This was an amazing day. I'm in awe of the company I kept…. And I'm
still grinning!