My recollection is this. When I got to Northern Arizona University, right about my first day, I was standing in a maze of rows among the men’s lockers and I hollered overhead, “Anybody want to go for a run?” and this voice answers back, “I do.” and off we went. His name was Ned Frederick.
E.C. Frederick. He was smarter than me, more focused than me, and faster than me, so he became my best friend.
And we were astonished there wasn’t a local running club in Flagstaff, so we started one.
The Sisu Striders. Cause it’s alliterative and we were secretly in love with the Finns.
No, that’s not right. We were in love with the idea of sisu, a difficult word to translate precisely, but we knew it meant ‘kick-ass.”
And we were astonished there were no races in the high country, so we started our own.
A running club has to have a newsletter. It’s a rule. Of course, we mimeographed ours.
I can only imagine who authored the following race report.
2nd Annual Lake Mary Meadows Cross-Country Race 5.2 miles, October 19 – 4:30 p.m.
- Wayne Sisson (Open) 29:19.5 (course record)
- Jack Welch (Open) 31:54.5
- Doug Jacobsen (Junior) 32:15.5
- Tim Brown (Junior) 34:44
- Dan Cook (Junior) 37:04.5
This race, directed in an excellent manner by Ned Frederick, continues to be a highlight on the racing calendar.
The event deserves a much larger field, slightly better scheduling, and a long life.
The LMMCC#2 was run this year also as The John Vitale-Mariano Haro-Tom Fleming-Jack Welch “Memorial.”
Recognition was given to the three superstars of running (and Jack) to emphasize that second place is not losing – it’s just not winning.
Vitale has been runnerup the last three years in the National Marathon Championships; Haro has thrice consecutively been slighted at the wire at the International Cross-Country Championships; Fleming, though improving his time by three minutes, finished second in the 1974 Boston Marathon, equaling his ’73 placing; and Jack, who has never even come close to winning a race, saw his meager chances evaporate once again with the efforts of Sisson, a member of NAU’s outstanding cross-country squad.
Welch was second in 1973 when Danny Sauers, a former Lumberjack standout, showed utter disdain for truth and justice.