Apr 1, 2000

Your column put my feelings about racing into words. Every race, at any distance, causes me stress from the moment the entry is mailed until the gun is fired.

Only then do I relax into the race itself, do what I can and accept the results. I have yet to regret any race other than those I was prevented from running.

One line of the column stood out for me: "...but not to try feels worse." I'm sure you are familiar with the lines about the man in the arena, written by Teddy Roosevelt. Trying is what counted with Roosevelt.

I've carried those lines in my wallet, in the form of an old magazine clipping, for over 40 years. I believe them and have tried to live by them as best I can. When I began running and racing, they offered both motivation and solace. (Bill Harkins, Buckner, Missouri)

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