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| Lean Horse 100 Mile Ultra Marathon 2013 |
Congratulations to David Fielder, John Murphy, and Dwayne Sandal for their acceptance into the Manitoba Runners' Association Hall of Fame. These three runners do us proud! Please join us at the banquet on March 31. Visit the MRA web site for more information (see sidebar).
The following is the submission for David Fielder, a collaborative affair between five runners that know well David's insatiable spirit for running. I think we captured his spirit rather well; would you not agree?
The following is the submission for David Fielder, a collaborative affair between five runners that know well David's insatiable spirit for running. I think we captured his spirit rather well; would you not agree?
To whom it concerns;
David Fielder meets or surpasses the criteria for the Manitoba Runner’s Association, Athlete/Builder Award. This nomination was written in consultation with five individual runners who know David well and can attest to his strength of character, his running achievements, and his ability to build community.
David Fielder meets or surpasses the criteria for the Manitoba Runner’s Association, Athlete/Builder Award. This nomination was written in consultation with five individual runners who know David well and can attest to his strength of character, his running achievements, and his ability to build community.
David the joie de vivre Runner
David Fielder is an extraordinary runner on many
levels. His passion for running is
unparalleled, his joie de vivre while running is entirely contagious, and his
running achievements are many and significant.
To know David is to admire him, but to run with David is to find answers
for that ever-elusive question, why do we
run. Running with David, whether it is a 10-k fun run or an ultra-marathon,
brings out the best of all those fortunate enough to run in his path. If there were ever an ambassador for our
community, it is best exemplified in David Fielder.
David the Numbers Runner
David has run in excess of 90 marathons, 10 ultra-marathons
(five of which were 100-mile ultras), and countless half-marathons, and 10-k
and 5k events. His marathon PB is 3:43
and he was one of only 17 runners to complete the 2013 Lean Horse Ultra 100
miler in less than 24 hours with an astounding time of 23 hours, 17 minutes.
David the Selfless Runner
Although time is important to David, it pales in comparison
to his desire to help others succeed in achieving their desired time. A friend said recently “David could be an
elite runner if he wanted to, but he sacrifices his own run to help others”.
This comment rings true to me personally. I recall running the Minneapolis Marathon
with David and my energy flagging at mile 22.
I slowed while he maintained a rock solid pace. He weaved through the throngs
of runners and soon he was out of sight.
I gritted down and trudged ever forward, alone and hurting, but
determined to finish!
Initially, I barely noticed the faint cheers… go Mike go, go Mike go, go Mike go… Soon they became more pronounced, louder, and
building in feverish intensity. I was
confused. Go Mike go? Are they cheering
for me? Who even knows my name on this
course? And then David’s unbridled grin
came into focus like a full moon on a starry night. There was David at mile 23 leading
a group of teen-volunteers in this crazy chant. Fist bumps and high fives
abounded…. it was all too much. With
eyes watering I didn’t cross the finish line, I soared over.
Ever the selfless runner David had sacrificed his time to
organize a group of strangers to cheer me forward, to encourage me, and to give
me the strength to persevere. My story is not unique; many runners have a
similar story of David’s selflessness. For David, the race isn’t about his success;
it’s about helping others achieve their success. With humility, humor, and grace, David
exemplifies the values and virtues of a selfless runner.
David the Volunteer Runner
David teaches grade 8 at a middle school in the Interlake
School Division. He is an exemplary
teacher in many regards including his dedication towards coaching. Currently David coaches the school cross
country run team, track and field team, and basketball team. He is well loved by the many students he has
coached. Over the years he has encouraged countless young people to unleash the
personal excellence that lies within.
David has also volunteered at numerous races as a
pacer. His groups are known for having a
lot of fun on the course, but also for achieving the designated time. He has helped countless novice runners
experience the thrill of completing their first half or full marathon.
David the Passionate Runner
David brings a passion to running that is
unprecedented. He understands that
without goals we have no baseline from which to improve or grow. Several years ago he set a goal to run 100
marathons. He is well on his way to achieve this goal although he rarely speaks
of this incredible success. When asked
to elaborate he’ll give a vague answer as if embarrassed and skillfully turn
the conversation back your successes.
In May 2011 David ran a sub-four hour marathon in Brainerd
Minneapolis. The conditions were brutal;
the wind, the cold and the rain colluded to make this marathon one for the
memory book. Immediately following the
race he returned to Winnipeg through blizzard conditions only to arrive at a
closed border station. Napping in the car until the border opened, he arrived
in Winnipeg at 5 AM after having driven 584 kilometers. He managed a one-hour
catnap before slipping the kicks back on and dashing off to the Police
Half-marathon by gun time. He ran a
sub-two hour Police Half on one hour’s sleep after having completed a sub-four
hour marathon less than 24 hours earlier. All this was accomplished in blizzard
conditions and frigid wind chill.
David has completed all Fargo Marathons. For many years he
ran Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota and the next day run Manitoba
Marathon.
David the Spirited Runner
David has organized a little know annual run called the
Slurpee Dash. He and several other
equally spirited runners plan a route through Winnipeg that includes a rest
stop at all twelve 7-11 Stores. The
intent of this run is to have fun while piling up serious miles over the course
of the day while training for ultras.
On particularly hot marathons David has been known to stop
for a Slurpee at 7-11 Stores along the course and continue running with Slurpee
in hand.
David is well known for showing up on race day in
costume. His collection of costumes
includes tutus, Waldo, Superman, Sponge Bob, escaped Keystone convict (for the
Cops Run), and firefighter (for the Fire Paramedic Run) to name but a few. The costumes bring levity to the races and
are much loved by spectators, volunteers, and runners.
David laughs and sings while running marathons and
constantly engages with spectators and runners alike. He thanks the volunteers profusely and
earnestly and makes them smile and feel good about their volunteerism. I recall one marathon at mile 24 where David
had us laughing to such an extent a fellow runner said her mouth hurt from
laughing so hard. Laughing at mile 24!
That’s David.
David has been known to stash coolers containing cold drinks
along the course of hot weather marathons and then surprise his running buddies
with ice-cold drinks just when it’s needed most!
Why should David be honoured with this prestigious award?
In the end all we have are cherished memories of running. The medals we once revered lose their shine and become
tangled webs in cardboard boxes. The tee-shirts we proudly wore become faded and obsolete. The bibs become torn, frayed... meaningless. The seconds we shaved from PBs, once relished, become irrelevant in the mists of time.
What matters most in the end are the memories of running. We remember the moments created and the lives lived. We remember the laughter and we remember the pain. We remember the people that inspired us to soar over the line, to do our best, to believe in our abilities, and to laugh. We remember the runners that dance over the finish line in a pink tutu with an indomitable grin.
What matters most in the end are the memories of running. We remember the moments created and the lives lived. We remember the laughter and we remember the pain. We remember the people that inspired us to soar over the line, to do our best, to believe in our abilities, and to laugh. We remember the runners that dance over the finish line in a pink tutu with an indomitable grin.
To run with David is to bank memories; memories to be
visited time and time again. These memories of running which we hold tenderly provide comfort when our legs fail, when our hearts slow, and when our
passions fade. As we grow old the priceless memories of running sustain us.
I leave you with one such memory. I paraphrase a memory of David from a friend:
I remember running a marathon with David. I was struggling badly. He asked me if I could have anything I
wanted, what would it be? I said jokingly “a Slurpee”. David - of course- went
and found one for me and that marathon didn’t seem so bad. I’ll remember that
forever. That’s who David is, the self-less runner.
I can think of no better candidate to receive this
prestigious award than David Fielder, the man who weaves memories of running
from sweat, build bridges from his passion, and joie de vivre from his
insatiable spirit.
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| Fire Paramedic 1/2 Marathon 2013 |
Michael Bennett
In collaboration with:
Melissa Budd
Nadine Linder
Gary Morris
Nadine Linder
Gary Morris
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