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Inspirational Journey Completed Mile By Mile

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BY ERIC HORCHY

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: October 4, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - Sept. 21 marked the final stage of a five-month-plus endeavor of speed, endurance and perseverance for David O'Meara as he crossed the finish line during New York's Fifth Avenue Mile.

The trek began at the Ceremonial Mile, held May 10 in O'Meara's adopted host city of Tarpon Springs. The 45-year-old Sarasota athlete eventually logged about 45,000 travel miles around the United States and Canada. But it was the combined 20 miles on foot, and how he covered them, that are cause for recognition.

The mission of O'Meara, who at the age of 45 is a master runner, was to compete in 20 one-mile races over 20 weeks in 20 different cities, all in less than five minutes. It was in one part for personal achievement and an equal fraction for the advocacy of personal fitness to older people all across the country.

He dubbed the quest 20/20/20. I really want to promote fitness to older people in America and I think Oregon was the starting point for seeing that people were getting the idea of what it is I'm doing. Then it just kept rolling."

It was races like the one in Eugene, Ore., the Eugene Challenge Mile, putting local support and interest from relative strangers in plain view, which further motivated O'Meara during his demanding journey.

"That's the fuel to the fire that keeps you going," he said of the positive reactions around the country. "Because if you have something inside you that you really aspire to do, I think that gets you through more than anything else."

On the surface, an average of five minutes of strenuous activity a week stretched over a five week time frame may not seem a daunting task. But factor in the goal of running each mile under five minutes, or around 13 mph, and anything, be it travel fatigue, a tight hamstring or minor illness, could have quickly derailed O'Meara's hopes.

A near calamity was evaded in early August in Amarillo, Texas, when he arrived for Race 14, Paul and Mike's Excellent Mile, with a lingering hip injury suffered days earlier outside of Vancouver. In fitting fashion, the situation resulted in becoming an exemplification of the journey's overall goal.

O'Meara met Paul Herrmann and Mike Flores, the coordinators of the Texas race, who set him up with a local chiropractor and got him back to running condition. In turn, the local media coverage of O'Meara's feat helped increase the 14-year old race's exposure more than two fold, Herrmann said.

"I just couldn't believe the crowd," Herrmann said, noting the race benefited the Special Olympics. "We had more people running in the first heat than we ever had before total."

He was drawn to what O'Meara set out to do, as well.

"That's not an easy thing to do at that age. I liked the whole concept. He's a very upbeat person, real inspirational."

In total, O'Meara completed his goal of 20 races in less than five minutes, averaging a time of 4 minutes and 46 seconds.

His best finish, 4:28, came in the Ogden Mile, in Wheeling, W.V. Only twice - Sept. 7 in Duluth, Minn., and a week later in Falmouth, Mass. - did he exceed his mark, just barely hindered while slogging through rainy, inclement weather.

But as promised, he picked up two other races to record the 20 sub-5-minute results.

While the race in New York City ended one pavement pounding quest, it also marked the beginning of future, inspirational pursuits for O'Meara. Among other objectives, he will continue his relationship with the Tarpon Springs' community in June by traveling to Greece for the Greek Isles Miles to help promote the town's sister cities initiative.

"Remember, you can accelerate at any age," O'Meara declares in the blog of his href=http://www.onemilerunner.com> Web site

Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com.

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