An Elite Runner Makes Fitness A 'Value'

Dan King (left) passes Great Britain's David Watson in the 3000 meter run at the World Masters Athletics championships this week. Hidden behind Watson is David Clarke who dueled King to the thrilling finish. Photo by Morgan Tahvonen, courtesy of WMA. 

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By Ray Glier

GAINESVILLE, Fla.___In his 30s, Dan King went on a bike ride with his father, Wil, in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Suddenly, Wil put the hammer down and pedaled furiously. He was in his 60s and he left his son behind.

“I was really fit and couldn’t catch up to him,” Dan said. “Dad was a beast on a bike and I’m going ‘Man, Dad’s dropping me’. I was 30 years younger!”

It was  one of those moments that led King to recognize fitness is a personal “value” to be treated with the same reverence as honesty, integrity, compassion, and reliability. His father, his hero, showed him the value of fitness on that ride because aging well is fun.

So now, 30 years later, when Dan King, 65, suffered what appeared to be an excruciating defeat in the 3000 meter run here Tuesday in the World Masters Athletics championships, he remained contented, not discouraged.

It is the sweet spot many Geezer Jocks strive for:

Losing, yet winning. 

Four days ago, King went 14 seconds faster than the American indoor 3000 record he set here a month earlier at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships. Yet he lost by a step to Great Britain’s David Clarke (10:08.04 to 10:08.90) as both broke the WMA event mark for the 3000.

“I exceeded my expectations today,” Dan said. "Hats off to David."

It had been hats off to King in the running world for eight months. He had been on a spectacular run of runs.

*Gold medals in the 1500 meter and the 8 kilometer cross country events at the World Masters Athletics outdoor championships in Sweden last July. 
*In October, he broke the American M65-69 records for the mile (5:04.52) and 1500 meters (4:43.49).
*In March he won gold medals in the 1500 and 3000 in the USATF national championships. 

This week, he could have been dejected at a rare loss on a big stage, but Dan wouldn’t spoil the electrification many felt as they watched the duel with Clarke. No moping allowed.

“I ran a great race, I was really fast at 65 years old,” said King, who lives in Boulder, Col. “I wasn’t exhausted. That’s what you want at our age, to be really fit and running exciting races.

“I’m really looking forward to the 1500 Saturday and racing David, or whomever, again.”

It was not fake grace. An hour after the race King was sitting on a restaurant patio with friends having a beer. It was no pity party. He was smiling wide. Later, back at the track, younger runners, whom King mentors, came up to offer condolences and left with smiles and laughs after talking with Dan about what a thrilling race it was.

King led Clarke throughout the 3000 where they left all others in their dust. Coming out of the last turn with about 60 meters to go, the talented Clarke, 65, went to his patented “kick.” Dan expected it. He also kicked and then felt a twinge in a hamstring.

These are the moments older runners hesitate fearing a “twinge” could lead to an injury that could sideline them for weeks, if not months. King’s momentary mental pause to consider that twinge was costly, especially against a skilled runner like Clarke. 

And, still, King was all smiles. 

“I’ll be healthy Saturday. I’ll be ready. I’m not going to let him kick with 50-60 to go,” Dan said. “I’m going to make him kick with 200 to go.

“My body feels good. I'm gonna push a really, really fast pace on Saturday. It's gonna be painful for anybody that wants to run.”

**

There are some strong takeaways from Dan King’s story.

It starts with his dad, Wil. He was talented enough in the 1950s to have Olympic aspirations. He ran competitively, but also ran for the joy of running.

“My dad was that guy who got up every single day and pulled on his gray Champion sweatsuit and went out for a run,” Dan said. “What I took away from my dad was just a lifetime commitment to fitness, to staying healthy, to being a regular exerciser.”

King said he also borrowed from the book Younger Next Year. It resonated, he said, because the book forcefully presented the “the use it or lose it" idea.

“If you're not pushing yourself physically, you're signaling your body to decay faster, to degrade faster, and I don't want that,” King said. “I want this chassis to be able to support all things I love to do for as long as I can.

“That's a value. The competitive aspect of running is the icing on the cake of a lifestyle decision. You know, it gives me something to build goals around and to use to create focus and focuses me to be a little bit cleaner with my diet.”

*King runs at such as an elite level that it might surprise people that he trains on just 25 miles a week. He gets his cardiovascular more from cross-training, which allows him to run so fast over a mile.

His muscular arms make King look like a multi-sport athlete. But the heavy lifting is for lifestyle, not running.

“I do lots of strength training and the reason I do it is not because I think it makes me a better runner,” he said. “The reason I do it is I think it allows me to live a better life as a 65-year old. It helps me live. It helps me ski and play golf, go on hikes with my wife.”

That is the value of having fitness as part of Dan's personal culture. It’s why he didn’t have to talk himself out of a loser’s remorse with the loss to Clarke. King is competitive, but he has higher goals.

“I want to age well, and I want to be fit,” Dan said. “I want to be able to do things I love as long as I possibly can.”