My hero: George Haywood for account of Sacto worlds M55 400H
George is second from the right in the finals of M55 long hurdles at 2011 worlds.
About Ken Stone
Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]
Ken Stone
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31 Responses
Great article and better photos than I managed to shoot of the race! I have forwarded a copy of the article to the e-mail address I have for Alex Cipriani.
What a great, exciting, and inspiring account of George’s journey. Congratulations, George, and to all of the competitors in the 400 meter hurdles.
Great, uplifting story-telling.
This was a very uplifting story. As someone who just started hurdling last year, it was great to hear about someone else’s journey. Congrats George.
LOVE stories like that. LOTS more guts than me! KUDOS!!
George Haywood is a good guy, and it’s nice to read a feel-good story like this one. Here’s hoping for his future success, whether over the hurdles or in a flat race.
Great story, great goal setting. I am inspired and in awe!
Thanks for sharing that great journey George. Congrats on the silver at Worlds.
Great story George!It was very inspirational. We are all Houston Elite proud of your accomplishment at the worlds this year. I am looking forward to running many more relays with you, Charles, Tony, Rick, Mark and Bill. Maybe we will get to visit with you and family over the holiday break here in Houston again this year. I know that Bill has some great workouts waiting for you… with and without hurdles. рџ™‚
Congratulations George! That was “Good Reading” and motivational. George and the rest of the Houston Elite crew are great competitors and they are also there for others in need. In Houston, at the National Senior Games this year; I left my spikes at the Hotel and George let me borrow his for the 100 meter Semis (Thanks again George). I believe he needs to try some other spikes out for comfort as I agrovated a minor case of plantar fasciitis immediately after wearing his. I ended up going to the Worlds with a fairly bad case which drastically affected my starts. So, watch those spikes. Wishing you continued success, OP
What a truly inspirational story, being a long hurdler myself i can relate to his story. I was fortunate to be on the track to witness his wonderful achievement at the recent World Championships in Sacramento. George is a wonderful man and athlete, i congratulate him on his achievements and wish him well with his endeavours on the track.
Marie
PROUD to be friend of YOU
i add profile-photo dedicated to GEORGE…
Very very nice story about a very very nice event, 400 hurdles!
Great story and a good article with beautiful photos! Very inspiring, among others, for me are: “make it to the starting line! “and “the idea of running full speed directly at something goes against our natural instinct. these instincts are wrong for hurdling. Learning to overcome them takes a lot of practice and determination” ; and Brooks tip: “put a hurdle at the edge of the sandy landing pit for the long jump”.
Congratulations to George Haywood for the story and for the silver; and congratulations to all finalists!
BTW: on the photos (front: left; back: right) it is not John Mc Namee but Albert Meier,M58,Switzerland; and Cipriani’s Name is not Allessando but Alessandro:-).
Tom Phillips has forwarded a copy of the article to Alessandro Cipriani, i will forward a copy to Albert Meier
I got a reply from Alex Cipriani:
“it’s a honour to read that… proud to be part of this fantastic sport”
Tom
To post #10 Oscar Payton. Hey Oscar hope your plantar fasciitis problem is over. I had the same problem at Berea Outdoor Nationals in Ohio. Did the Pentathon anyway. I’m just now getting over it. Should be ready for a little indoor season and back to normal for outdoors. Can’t run hurdles without feet.
That was a great article to read.
Mike
George is a great competitor and great guy. As if the 400 isn’t tough enough already he has decided to put some hurdles in the way. For those of us who will never try the 400 hurdles, congrats and thanks for giving us a feel of what it takes to compete in this event
Dave
Great story of perseverance, setting and obtaining goals, achieving success and overcoming adversity. Congratulations George!
Bill
With “the idea of running full speed directly at something goes against our natural instinct. these instincts are wrong for hurdling. ” I disagree. No event is more according our instincts than 400 hurdles. (And steeple.) A completely flat track is against our instincts, as is a high jump pit рџ™Ѓ
One of the nice things of 400 hurdles is that you have to be able to shorten or lengthen your strides without altering your speed.
Loved the story and congratulations on achieving your goal in a tough race. I also liked the quote about getting to the starting line. Keep up the good work.
Knowing the outcome of the M55-59 400mh final at Worlds did not stop me from smiling as I read your account of it. Congratulations and thank you for sharing such an inspirational story.
Out of 4500 athletes in Sacramento, or even one of the 15 who did make it to the line in the M55 400 Hurdles, I didn’t get the chance to socialize. In tents, I was too intense (get it?), focused on the race and didn’t even introduce myself to Mr. Haywood, but I can relate to all the anxiety he expressed.
Last year I achieved even an 8% ratio between my 400 and hurdle time, but I don’t have a 57 to throw into that mix and I did it in the wrong race. A few weeks later at the National Championships, I was right there next to the guys doing 66 with two hurdles to go, but the 400 has a giant dose of reality attached to it, while the other guys were sprinting to the finish, my body took up racewalking. I carried the bear and the piano.
So I had the same track as a target in 2011, started training with the same intensity as the year before, but my body was unwilling to keep up with that effort, injuries kept happening and just getting to the start line became the new goal. That slow time I ran was my best performance of the year. DFL. But that is what a big meet needs, not just the star medalists, but the also rans to be there to show just how good the top athletes are. You have to show up with the goods on that day. The top athletes are the ones who can figure out how to get there and be ready to do it. George Haywood and Alessandro Cipriani, plus Ken’s and my teammate from a 4×400 relay national championship waaaay back in 1997, Steve Cummings did.
Having had breakfast with George at worlds, and watching him compete one time out there, I’m not surprised he wrote such a great account of his journey. Its the same guy! Thoughtful, analytical, prepared, positive. George, great writeup, and best of luck to you in clearing all hurdles to come!
Post #20 Hecker, your store very easly could have been his store. Same write up different ending.
Sounds like both of you maybe over training and trying too hard like most of us. The older you get rest become your best friend. Finding that place is the key.
To post #17: All of the swelling and pain in the center of my right foot is gone. Now there is some inflamation directly behind the ball of my big foot that only hurt when my toes are bent backwards (Sprint start position). I should be fully recovered in a couple of weeks. Thanks for your concern.
Correction #25: “ball of my big toe” not “big foot”.
Good work, George! Your article nicely summarized the thoughts and challenges that we all go through in this sport. It links us together, regardless of our age or event…
I was in the Sacramento worlds also, barely recovering from shoulder and achilles heel injuries, not throwing like I used to but just hoping to make it into the finals in the M55 javelin. (The shoulder injury kept me out of the Lahti worlds) On my last throw in the prelims, I hit my best mark of the season to that point and was in 12th, which would advance me to the world finals! Then someone else threw a little farther than that on HIS last throw, and I ended in the stinkhole…13th place, the best non-qualifier. Still, the experience was worth it.
The worlds are very competitive. Winning a medal is legit. Congratulations, George! You earned it.
HEY GEORGE, MAN OF MANY TALENTS, I’VE NEVER READ SUCH A GREAT ARTICLE ABOUT SOMEONE WHO DEDICATED HIMSELF TO AN EVENT THAT HE HASN’T ATTEMPTED IN YEARS AND WON A SILVER MEDAL AT THE WORLDS CHAMPIONSHIP. CONGRATS GEORGE, GLAD TO BE YOUR FRIEND.
George, what a great story! Congratulations on overcoming craziness and doing the -well, impossible!
Post #26 Oscar Payton. You said your foot is still swollen to some degree. My foot did not appear swell. You may have a serious problem. I talked to a few sprinters and hurdlers at Nationals. They all told me it will take 6 week of total rest just to start. It took me from August to December to get to that point because of my job and not being to able to stay off my foot. I used crutches and a cane for 4 months. Now at the 2nd week of December I can jog fairly well but no speed.
Even with the right shoes it sounds like you had a problem in the making, those other shoes just brought it to light sooner. Find a good sports medical facility take the time to do it right, even if a year off is the answer. Changing events for awhile also helps. “See you in the blocks,” unless I decide to change events.
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