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DICK BEARDSLEY AT THE 2002 BOSTON MARATHON
KR Style by Carol Goodrow
Charlie Rodgers and Dick Beardsley
Can Young Kids Train for the Boston Marathon? | From 26 to 46 (Years Not Miles), Dick Beardsley at the Boston Marathon | Heather Gardiner Thanks the Kids on the Course | Hibiscus Marathon Team
BOSTON MARATHON It was the day before the marathon and I was out on an assignment to take photos of a fun run at the Bill Rodgers Running Center. I thought that I was going to a kids' fun run, but it turned out to be a memorial run for Andy Palmer, an avid runner who worked with Bill Rodgers. Runners celebrate births, weddings, and memories of their loved ones by running. A small group of serious runners were going to meet at this shop. While waiting for them to arrive I spotted this cool Bill Rodgers CUTOUT and decided to add it to our Kids Running CUTOUT KIDS activity. What a blast, but then this guy with lots of charisma (that means personality) caught my attention. I heard that he was Dick Beardsley. The name was familiar but I couldn't remember why. I just knew that I had read about him a while back in a RUNNER'S WORLD magazine. No, he's not the guy in the photo with the funky BEARD...even though his name is 'BEARDsley'. I took his photo and I took it again.  Here's a fun photo of Dick and his buddies, showing how they feel early in the morning now that they are middle aged. I watched them joke around and then I remembered and I was surprised. I looked at Dick again and wondered how this confident person could be the same person that I had read about, but yes, I remembered the name now. Here's Dick's story. It was a hot day in 1982, 20 years ago; too hot for marathon running but Dick Beardsley and Alberto Salazar were running at record pace. Beardsley was ahead. With less than one mile left to run, Salazar passed Beardsley and 'the duel' began. It was a sprint finish with Salazar victorious by two seconds, but that's not the whole story. Over a decade later, Dick Beardsley was injured in a farming accident and a hit and run accident. He had twenty operations on his back and legs and then an even more terrible thing happened. Dick became addicted to the pain medicine he was taking. When you become addicted, it is very hard or almost impossible to stop taking a drug without help. You often need more and more of the drug and the more you take the more addicted you get. Dick could no longer say "No," to drugs. Dick did everything he could to get more drugs until he got caught. He was put in the hospital and helped to recover, but once an addict, always an addict. Dick can never take pain pills again, nor can he drink alcohol. He thinks about this every day and for the last five years, every day has been a struggle and a triumph. In February 2002, Dick celebrated his 5th Year Anniversary of being drug free. His return to the Boston Marathon this year, for the first time since the famous 1982 race, is a perfect way for Dick to celebrate his victory over drugs.  Here's Dick in the Boston Marathon press room after his run. He's ecstatic and bubbling over with enthusiasm. He's twenty years older, has no cartilage in his knees and he has just completed Boston again. He's warmed by his space blanket and by his feeling of success. Beardsley talks non-stop about his race.  He was one of the pack, had to start in a 'corral', not at the front of the line. He was inconspicuous. Almost no one knew who he was, in fact some thought he was a Canadian, but still this Boston Marathon was easier and more enjoyed than in 1982. Dick raved about the cheering college coeds at Wellesley, and he complained about the hills, but his smile never faded as he talked with compassion about today and about his 1982 marathon. Twenty years later, Dick Beardsley trained and conquered Boston again. His story fills our hearts with hope and courage to do the things we need to do. |
Dick speaks with pride of his wife, his son Andy, his overcoming of a drug habit, and his positive love of running. He's one of those people who once you meet, you never forget.The interview started with a question from Dick. Of course! He's full of confidence, never shy. Usually the reporter asks the first question.
Dick wanted to know, "How'd DeHaven do?" Dick had attended the same college in South Dakota as Rod DeHaven. He hadn't heard that last year's first American had an ankle injury and wouldn't be running this year. Dick was concerned and sent a message through kidsrunning.com to Rod. It was to, "Hang in there and get well. Then get back in the race."
When I asked Dick Beardsley if I could get my photo taken with him, I didn't really know who he was or much about him. I know him much better now, for I have just finished reading his autobiography, "Staying the Course: A Runner's Toughest Race". This is a great book for teens and adults. The book takes you through Dick's early running career, his relationship with his wife and son, his accidents, operations, drug addition, and subsequent triumph. And throughout the book, Dick never loses his love for his family or for running.
If you read the first page, you'll finish the book, share it with friends, and never forget his story and just maybe you'll be lucky enough to someday run with him on one of his 3:30 a.m. Minnesota early morning runs.
