How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Age 15

(This posting was shared with the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame newsletter who used it in their September-November 2013 newsletter.  Click on this link to see the newsletter, and the article on page 2 titled "Sanderson's Coaching Goes Far":
http://smba.ca/download.php?id=254994)

I spent most of the summer of 1961 at Lyle Sanderson’s parents’ ranch in southern Saskatchewan. Lyle was coached at the university by my father, who also coached me. Most of the rather charming words which follow, come almost entirely from my letters home to my father and mother.

June 3, 1961. I was glad to hear that Ralph and Colin are doing so well. Would you please send me the Edmonton results? What about Gogel? What is Gregg doing, other than working?

Lyle and I did a pretty good 1.5 miles Wednesday. On Saturday we timed each other for one mile on our track. The objective was 4:55. I did 4:54 and I think 4:50 is quite possible on it without competition. I had an erratic pace—first quarter and last quarter fast, second quarter way too slow: 69-78-74-73. Lyle beat me in 1.5 miles by 2 or 3 yards.


June 28, 1961. In track, I have not had a really hard work-out yet. It’s impossible to run anywhere on level ground for very long, so we must run on stony hills. They are mostly moderately steep and very long, with a few short steep ones here and there. Because of the hills, I don’t think we run very fast, but my legs get very tired.

Lyle and I built a 220 yard track using his pace as a yard. I ran a half-mile and the time was terrible (2:41) and the distance seemed so far that I paced it. It was over (by a conservative estimate) 1000 yards that I had run. We decided to build another track using a yardstick and string. We have had no times on it yet, but once a few holes are filled in (assuming the distance is correct) it will be one of the better tracks in the province. The straight-a-ways are 50 yards, the curves 60. The ground is covered with shock-absorbing lichen. The lichen allows spikes to enter easily. I think my low-cost recalcitrant red Adidas spikes must have been designed for such footing.

When I got back to Saskatoon, I ran the best 880 of my career against Gregg at a meet at Griffiths Stadium. He won—2:02.8. I got second—2:02.9. I was 15 years old.

I was sent down east to the Royal Canadian Legion’s Olympic Training Plan. Lyle became—with a nudge from my father-- the much-loved track coach at the University of Saskatchewan for many decades, retiring only in 2006.

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