My experiences and memories with Ron Laird are many and go way back to my first year of race walking. Ron’s encouraging words during those early days gave me confidence that if I worked hard I would be successful.
1967, my second year in the sport, was a pivotal year for me. My first attempt at 50 Kilometers came in the national 50 K-Pan American trials at Horner Park in Chicago. Ron was probably as responsible for my first national title as I was. During the latter stages of the race, I was lapping Ron for the second or third time. He was not’t having his best day, and in second place by about one-half mile, behind Alex Oakley from Canada, who had been 6th in the ’64 Olympic 50 K. As I passed Ron, be began to walk with me telling me how the Canadians were always coming down here trying to take away our national medals. He said, if I could just increase my pace and dig a little deeper, I could catch Alex. Ron picked up his pace and challenged me to hang with him. Before long we had closed to within a few yards of the Canadian. Ron put his hand on my back, gave me a shove, and said, “Now, go right on by him and don’t look back!”
Thank you Ron for the push. I’ll never forget that day and I was able to use the technique later on, even against you on occasion. But your mentorship will never be forgotten. Your help was the mark of a true sportsman.
Later that same year, Ron went on to what was probably the best race of his career. He place 3rd in the world championship 20 Kilo behind two of the greatest Russian walkers in history, Smaga and Golubnichiy. His example showed the rest of us that it was possible to be competitive with the great Europeans who dominated the sport at the time.
Ron and I went on to represent our country at the 67 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada where we both won gold medals in the 20 and 50 K respectively. Soon after that we traveled with the US Track and Field team on a European Tour to England, Germany and Italy, where Ron proceeded to win every race including a 20 km victory over the great Abdon Pamich! I think it was the first time Pamich had been beaten since before his gold medal in the 1964 Olympics.
Ron’s sense of humor and his endless stories of races, trips, and women always kept things interesting whether we were on a training session together or on one of the many international teams we were a part of. Ron came to Missouri for lots of races and stayed at my house a few times. He got to know my parents. He always used to kid me that I had an unfair advantage on him because I came from such good stock.
Well I could go on and on but I guess I should leave some time for Ron. I know he will need a lot of it. They’re still talking about his record length acceptance speech at the US Track and Field Hall of Fame, so sit back and enjoy folks.
I wish I could be there with you tonight to help you celebrate Ron. I consider you my walking mentor. Thanks for the encouragement along the way and thanks for your friendship.
