Perfect Saturday

The WoodlandsFit “Half Way There” party was really nice. We had 60 degree temperatures, clear skies, low humidity, and had an easy recovery week scheduled coming off the Ten for Texas race. Beth Whitehead from the marathon group organized a catered breakfast from The Egg & I and we had Jeff Wells as our guest speaker. It was a little cool and the main pavilion was mostly shaded so we moved closer to the lake where we were in the sun and warmer for our question and answer format with Jeff. The setting was just perfect.


I introduced Jeff……Senior Pastor at WoodsEdge Community Church, 4-time All-American in Track & Cross Country while attending Rice University, recipient of the Bob Quin Award as Outstanding Student Athlete, and inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame in 1986. I then asked Jeff a few questions…….

I asked him why he and his roommate at Rice, John Lodwick, ran the first Houston Marathon and he said they did it for a long training run. He did say that there was no keeping up with Dan Green that day…..that he was way out in front.

I asked about the 1976 Houston Marathon and he said that he had focused on it to run an Olympic Trials qualifying time and that he achieved it running a 2:17 and winning the race in the process.

I asked about his 1977 experience at Boston. He said it was a hot day and that he ran the first half too hard. The course is mostly downhill and he found himself in third place overall at about 10 miles and already feeling the effects of the combination of a fast pace and a hot day. He struggled as the hills began. He passed Bill Rodgers who also wasn’t doing well and who would eventually DNF. Jeff struggled in to finish in 12th place in 2:21:41.

Jeff used his experience the following year at Boston running a very conservative pace early. He was able to run hard the second half and almost catch Bill Rodgers at the finish. 1st - Bill Rodgers – 2:10:13, 2nd - Jeff Wells – 2:10:15. (Frank Shorter finished 23rd in 2:18:15) I did ask him if the Boston motorcycle cop got in his way as he was finishing and he said it did but didn’t affect the outcome as Bill Rodgers was crossing the finish as it happened.

Jeff became a Christian the summer before attending Rice University. I asked him what his experience as a Christian was while competing in college, while running for Nike, and what does it mean to him now? Jeff's answer was simple. He said that putting God first and trusting in Him kept everything in perspective. He didn’t feel the added pressures to perform. His life is in Gods hands.

Rich Cooper, our WoodlandsFit organizer, continued with several more questions and then we opened it up to the group.

A few things I learned….

Jeff Wells & Tony Sandoval – when they tied in 2:10:20 at the Nike-OTC Marathon Sept 9, 1979 – set the American record for the Marathon. (Boston with its elevation drop cannot be used for National Records)

When asked whom he admired – he mentioned Tony Sandoval – who went to school at Stanford, was a medical student, and kept running in perspective and fun. He mentioned Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers and a few others from his time with Nike.

When asked what his favorite race was he answered Boston.

When asked what he thought of Houston he said it’s a great race.

When asked what his favorite workout was…he described a fast version of a tempo run…..a race pace workout with 30 second pickups mixed in.

Jeff is about the most humble person I know. If you didn’t know him and were talking to him in a group the subject of running may never come up. Jeff puts God first, and then family and then life. He has a great talent and he loves to run but it will never be the most important thing in his life.

Jeff was very refreshing to listen to. I think we all put pressures on ourselves to run longer and to run faster. I don’t think there is anything wrong with personal goals, trying to better them, competing with the clock, and others. It’s not good when our workouts and races become the most important thing in our lives, or if we have some talent and can run faster and we think we’re a class above others. This all should be fun, supportive of others, and not the most important thing in our lives.

So…….Saturday morning at Northshore Park with 150 plus runners doing several different workouts, in groups of 30 or so. The Woodlands HS Cross Country runners meeting and starting their workout as we finish. A beautiful cool crisp clear morning with a low mist hanging over the lake. The rowers beginning their workouts. Breakfast being set up……..a supportive community atmosphere as everyone mingles…. this is what it’s all about.