Wednesday, March 16, 2011

                                                   
                                       THE FRIEND WE NEVER MET
                                         A farewell to Sally Meyerhoff
            Sally Meyerhoff is dead. The 27 year old Olympic marathon qualifier went for a bike ride and never returned, hit by a pickup truck.
            For every Sally Meyerhoff there are thousands of runners like me at the back of the pack. Although her 2:30 was our 5:30, we were all in it together. We’d never met her, but we knew her well.
            With her passing came finish line photos, arms held high, the haunting image of a young champion struck down in her prime...the champion we all are in our imaginations. For a moment we were her and she us.
            She struggled through injuries, fast races and slow. She cried at her victories and her defeats. She compared running shoes with strangers, struggled with her new sports watch, and on occasion took too many Gu’s. She was one of us.
            So now she’s gone, the friend we never met. But, as long as runners gather at dawn, feel tears well up in Mile 26, or pass a bicycle down along the way we’ll remember our friend Sally Meyerhoff.
            The next time you’re struggling to finish a race, do it for Sally Meyerhoff.  It’s her race, too. The next time you pass a runner hobbling for home, pull her along. She is Sally Meyerhoff.  
            What she can’t do in life, we will do for her in spirit. Train hard. Stay focused. Do your very best. Because, you see, we have a race to run in London in 2012. And we will win it….. for our friend, Sally Meyerhoff.

Copyright 2011
All Rights Reserved



3 comments:

  1. I came across your blog today while searching for news on Sally Meyerhoff. Last year (as a 40 year old mother of 3 young boys) I took up running for my mental and physical health. The first race I ran was the More Magazine Half marathon through Central Park. I remember a red haired young woman flying past me, complete with green running skirt and pink socks. I learned that it was Sally Meyerhoff, who went on to win the race. She was due to defend her title in two weeks time. She was an incredible young woman who left the marathon of life much too soon.

    You have a written a beautiful tribute to her. She will be missed in Central Park on April 3.

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  2. What a beautiful tribute. Thank you.

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  3. Caroline Meyerhoff HolmbergApril 3, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    Thank you for the tribute about my niece Sally. Her sister Samantha ran with Sally's bib in the More Fitness Half Marathon today and came in 4th. Sally would be so proud of her sister, as we all are. She ran in Sally's leapord and hot pink clothes. There is a website to order shirts for Sally's foundation milesformeyerhoff.tumblr.com Run Sal
    Caroline Meyerhoff Holmberg

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