Profile May 31, 1993 Issue

"They which run in a race ..."

with contributions from Carl Oates

Where there is a barrier, there is a challenge to it. And age is one of the barriers people are challenging more vigorously than ever. For instance, Carl Oates is a sprinter in Masters track and field, which to him simply means that he had "a thirty-five- or forty-year layoff" since the last track event in which he took part. In the years that intervened, Carl learned some lessons about prayer and brotherhood—timeless resources he brings to the events he runs.

What are the time frames for the races in which you compete? For example, last year I ran a 55-meter indoor race at the Eugene, Oregon, Indoor in 8.1 seconds. My time at this point in the 100 meters is about 14.8 or 14.9 seconds. The 200 meter is more of a challenge for me. So I usually call it exercise, and I run it in about 31 seconds.

How do you view competition? One of the credos I often had brought to mind in the business world was that competition is the lifeblood of achievement. But in Masters track and field, I modify that a bit by saying that competition comes from competing not only with others but with myself, and including all in the experience that I have. That is, if I lose, someone else wins, and if he wins, I should be celebrating, because we're all one— we're all children of God. We can celebrate that. One of the most inspiring things about Masters track and field, in my experience, is that you see an appreciation of others. If this fellow's here, he's helping me, and if I'm here, I'm helping him.

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