Henry Rono’s comeback proceeds apace. And it’s being detailed in public on the letsrun.com message board, with Henry piping in occasionally. A couple weeks ago, he wrote to an eyewitness who praised his training: “It is nice of you to say that thank you Ray. Are you kidding me! I was dying my left knee was hurting soo bad. Did you see that I was (limping)? … I try to keep with my group and I only try twice, after that I call it a day. I didn’t have joint lubricates, and the hips extention resistancy. I was breathing so hard trying and gasping the air unlike twenty eight years ago. I used to have extra (oxygen) or air in the lungs. nowdays no more.”

Later in the message thread, in reply to a query about his current training touring, Henry wrote (with the bulk of original spelling and punctuation left as is):
“I just finish the (40th) day of training.I t is coming easier now, I did the weight knees caps training until I felt the feeling burning fires, calves were burning the same feelings, I was concentrating on two specifics areas. It made my body strong, I could walk up stairs easy. Sitting in sauna for twenty minutes, and do sit ups up to 1200 the body becoming flexable I can handle it and I am gaining more height from the ground, which means I’m standing on my toes. That is what I needed for the interval-work-out strength. Tomorrow. Once the angles are strong then I’m able to handle speed work and the progress of it.”
On July 26, Henry wrote (in his own fashion):
“The 54 day phase II training. My body told to get-up there and do it as I did in 1986 before Chicago marathon, so today was La Luz Trail from 6000ft-9000ft 45 minutes up and down adds up 90 minutes. I feel no burning fires today why is that?T he pace was not grandy run.
“I wanted to run more but the rain and thunderffalls got me out-of the La Luz Trails. I thought I might finish-up at Defined-Fitness with Treadmills for 30 minutes,I got-up with Mbarak and other youth conversation until sun-down I save for tomorrow. It was the first time to meet these young and talk about running it very exciting good for running and motivation.
“I will get there very earlly and do it right,I want to go all-the way to the top 10,000ft.”
On July 27, Henry wrote:
“The 54 day of training phase II, I just got back from La Luz Trail. From the bottom to the top took 180 minutes and down another 180 minutes=360 minutes I feel it straight to the bone. My hips are wracked and some pain back on my kidneys.
“I was reading the rules up in the top crest saying don’t stay too long,up there at 10,678ft Sandia Crest.D rink alot of water and start walking toward lower altitude. I borrow someone some water, I didn’t even take with me $5 No water fountain to drink, I have no energy to run down. Now I’m thinking, I remember last time we ran up among Kenyans in 1986 and when the other guys turned around, they left me in the resturant there. I had the car keys to the BMW Ibrahim Hessein’s car.
“So I didn’t ran down because I had no energy left they assume I was in shape I could follow them, but not.
“I got stacked there until someone drove me down to the car. Ibrahim Hussein and Julius Korir had to ran all-the way to copper apts. It was along day for them that day in 1986. I was up in crest restuarant drinking beer with this guy, who ended-up brough me to the car. By the time I got home Hussein sitting at home eating and complaining, where I was, I asked him did you think I was in shape as you are?
“Today those tricks didn’t happen. I had wheel my body all-the way to the car and keep broughing water whenever I encounter with someone on the way down.I was seeing colors or loosing colors,but as I get water,I got one more energy for one step downward today. Someone gave me energy bar by the chris, I met alot young people walking up there with humble faces easy to talk with.T hey are sincere people you want water you get if you talk friendly. The La Luz Trail does that to people.
“Twenty years ago is along time to try to do the same physical exercises.
That was my story today.”
On July 28, he wrote:
“Out of 360 minutes, I physically ran 90 minutes the rest was walking, so don’t fool your self. That is what I need anyway. You know I was there the day before, but I ran 90 minutes,but it was late afternoon. Yesturday, I started at 9am and finished at 3pm. All day walking as everyone else were doing it.
“I met most people walking with pack-bags in it were carrying food and water very smart,and once in while they could jog up and they were soarking sweats every time they make a step.I was soarking too, the sweat comes out of my body in La Luz trail is not the same as running in the lower altitude,it is really coming-out of my bones, not from muscles. That is why I say earlier my hips bones are wracked.
“Walking up there is enough to called it a big day for training. Today I’m still rising up my body still rising from this morning aches and pains are coming-out new,perhaps sometimes today, I will wheel my body to the academy track in the evening. Once I’m ready.”
Henry’s last post, also July 28:
“To 70’s old timer
“how do you use your “glory days” to motivate you today, instead of those younger days depressing you? (compared to now)….or is it best to think as a ‘new person’ today, in July of 2006 and leave the past behind?”
“It is easy for me, Looking back the mistakes I did in running I can make correction now. That is why I have motivation now. I see what today runners do and mistakes they encounter in the running world. I’m taking this opportunity to rise up and show the road I should have taken when I was young runner. I don’t regret though, I did a good job, however, I let myself down by taking running with the wrong road of alcoholism. I don’t fear to talk about it, because it is behind me. It is also written in the book loud and clearly.
“Coming back with your opponent Kimeto. Kimeto always runs like a nut case, so to say. That is why you ended up collecting him when he was already a sanwich. I knew him what he was doing so I alway let him do his thing and I pick him-up later before the race was over.He was basically a rabbit so to speak.
“I’m very excited with my training and I want to use all-the experiences in my life and channel them into the mile race and you will see it in times come. I feel like a new person every-day and to talk about the past it doesn’t hurt me at this age. It takes a long time though to talk about it,but it is good to turn it into a book and I can sell it, you can read it.” The Olympic Dream”
“Thank you and have a nice night.”