Freeze column: Doc Sheehan's visit gives lesson in inspiration

As a student of leadership and inspiration with a master's degree in organizational leadership, I will never forget certain motivational people and events. The recent cold winter days have caused my running shoes to steam when I return home and take them off. They remind me of another really cold winter day when I witnessed my favorite lesson in inspiration.

In 1986, Salisbury had a new race, just 3 years old, called the Winter Flight 8K. That's 4.97 miles. In those days, there were not many road races, and good ones really stood out.

Most of those who ran locally in the early '80s came to Salisbury because Winter Flight was on the North Carolina Tar Heel Tour Championship schedule. I had been running for just seven years myself but planned to work the race.

I loved running, and like most runners, I read Runner's World magazine in hopes of improving. It was easy to devour from cover to cover. One of the regular columnists was Dr. George Sheehan, a cardiologist from Red Bank, N.J. He was opinionated, funny, quirky, and a very good runner.

The Salisbury Rowan Runners flew Sheehan here to speak at a dinner the night before Winter Flight. Sheehan looked very fit while dressed in old jeans and a comfortable shirt. Of course, he wore running shoes. His subject was nutrition, and the only thing I remember was that Sheehan and I both loved Fig Newtons. He spoke for an hour without notes and no one wanted him to stop. Yet, the real lesson came the next day.

Race day at Catawba College was very cold and slightly damp. There was enough wind to make the day feel really raw. My feet were freezing. Sheehan ran the race and ran it well. He came across the finish line, thanked everyone there and then started back out on the course.

He ran back and forth for about an hour, encouraging every single runner as they finished. Sheehan ran 100 yards away from the finish, then would turn and run in with someone. As soon as he got them to the finish line, he retraced his steps and went back out again in search of others.

When a good runner runs a hard 8K, he sweats quite a bit, and very soon after he relaxes, the sweat starts getting very cold. For an hour, Sheehan jogged back and forth, wishing others well. Certainly he could not have been very comfortable, but he didn't stop to put on a jacket. He didn't have to stay and encourage everyone, but I think he felt he did. After everyone had finished, Sheehan still stood and talked to anyone who approached him. I was impressed and have never forgotten that day. It was a true lesson in inspiration.

Winter Flight 2010 is slated for this Saturday at Catawba College. It is the 27th annual race and is the oldest 8K race in the state. It also is the Road Runners Club of America North Carolina State Championship. Race time is 10 a.m., and some of the best runners in the Southeast will be here. But Winter Flight is for regular runners and walkers, too. The proceeds will go to Rowan Helping Ministries. For more on the race, go to www.salisburyrowanrunners.com

From that day in 1986 on, Sheehan was one of my heroes. He had already become the first person in the world to run under a 5-minute mile after age 50, and he ran 21 straight Boston Marathons.

The same year that he visited Salisbury, Sheehan was diagnosed with the prostate cancer that would eventually take his life. I often wondered whether he knew it when here. His own doctor told him to give up running, but a sedentary lifestyle did not sit well.

So Sheehan went back to running and racing and continued to run till his legs would no longer carry him. He wrote eight books, among them "How to Feel Great 24 Hours a Day," as well as many essays.

One of my favorite quotes is, "Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling, and enduring and accomplishing." I wouldn't be surprised if Doctor Sheehan is again here in Salisbury, at Winter Flight this Saturday, still inspiring others.

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David Freeze is president of Salisbury Rowan Runners.