It was a Good Run.
Kyle C. Golden
This end of this spring 2010 season marks the end of my collegiate running career at Southeastern Louisiana University. That wraps up seven years of competitive training stretching back to my 2003 year at Redemptorist high school in North Baton Rouge. This doesn’t make me special, just another runner graduating like many others before me. I was not the best and never was part of the best. I always considered myself a bit above the mediocre level on the high school and college level. But, I loved every part of it. I enjoyed and embraced the aspects of being a young runner. There are many things I learned over the years. Running excellence does not come from excellent running. A good runner is not judged by their times, but there dedication, their attitude and their will to improve. I don’t know much, but I know I’ve seen many runners come and go. Some for academic reasons, some for significant others, some out of frustration, some for injuries, and others for jobs or they didn’t want to run. I’m not sure how I made it all the way through, but I’m glad I did.
Throughout high school and college I was not sure where I was headed, but I ended up here, writing to you, about my past running career. Now that it is at an end, I know that I could not have made it here by myself. The help and support of my family, teammates, and coaches, and the occasional car honk pushed me to this destination. Down this blind path I always stride to be a good ambassador to Louisiana running or runners in general. It felt good to be part of something much bigger than myself. The colors on my SLU uniform not only represented me on the field of competition, but my teammates and classmates as well as a University and community. It meant to me that the path behind you was only exceeded by the path in front of you.
I’m sure other collegiate runners and former runners can relate to how I view running on this level, as well as being a student athlete. I am extremely blessed to be able to do the thing I did, and to meet the different people I did. Running brings many different people together. No matter where fellow competitors and teammates were from or what they did before they showed up on race day, we were all there for the same reason, which I thought was rare in a world of such variety. I remember being a freshman at SLU and I was only 18 years of age, and telling the 23 year old seniors they were old. It seemed like such a long way away. Those same seniors tried to teach everything they had learned in their years at SLU to me. Now I’m the old senior captain teaching our young guns the ins and outs of competition of this level. The importance of teamwork and sportsmanship are values and it is our job to pass it along.
I am not going to tell you my highlight reel of my best runs/races, but there are many things I will never forget throughout my running career. Hopefully you can appreciate some of these. I will never forget training in Hammond after Hurricane Katrina with my buddies Sean and Alex, and hearing of the loss of their homes and family members, and remembering I slept through the hurricane on my buddy’s couch in Baton Rouge. I would return to my apartment in Hammond after the run to hang out with my Chalmette neighbors holding 12 of their family members in their two bedroom apartment. This made me realize that there are bigger things than our upcoming XC season. Hurricane Gustav was very different. The day after the hurricane passed over, was supposed to be our first XC race of the season which was obviously cancelled. I still put on my jersey and ran around Hammond to check things out. On that run, in my white singlet, I received more car honks and screams from civilians on that 45 minute run than I had ever received in a month. This made me realize that my role in this community was a little bit more than just a student athlete. The second biggest honk day didn’t come in a big group of young runners, but when Hammond had about 6 inches of snow. Zach Dufrene and I took a run around the campus just to say “I’ve ran in snow.” Our toes were nearly frozen afterward but it was worth it. Of course there are more. Alex Aschenbrenner found two 100 dollar bills in the same week, or Scott R’s butt during hill repeats. But if you kneeled with me in a pre-race prayer or huddled in with me in a post race picture, I thank you, because I won’t forget those either.
Running has done much for me, and I am not sure where I would be if I hadn’t been a runner (probably not graduating right now). I’m glad that running chose me and SLU gave me a chance to compete. Never let anyone say you’re not good enough! Be a self motivator and remember that the only thing that can speed you up or slow you down is yourself. As long as young runners have the desire to run and compete and improve, Louisiana running will thrive. Records will get broken, standards will be set higher, fun will be had, and the world will still turn. I am sure there is some kid out there who needs running as much as I did, and I hope he reads this.
Special Thanks to: To my parents Jamie and Wyatt Golden, and all of my former coaches: Eric Tucker, Ray Clement, Cory Mistretta, Miguel Bacaerra, Mike Bartolina, Phillip Lagat, Peter Kosgei, and Ryan Borque, Sean Brady, and Brian Mondschien. Also Patrick Dulaney, Dan Mianiey, Betsy Stickland Rogers (soccer coaches who let me run).
Teammates I couldn’t of made it without: Richard Sanders (the guy I did my first run with). Sean Allerton, Shane Rayners, Zach Dufrene, Jaron Ortego, Everlyne Matonyei, Cortney and Judith Schultheis.
Much appreciation goes to teammates and colleges:, Will Silk, Drew Haro, Alex Aschenbrenner,Ray Rodriguez, Henry Rop, Kalphys Kemboi, Nelphat Boit, Joey Valure, Nathan Davis, Zach Schuler, Pat Gavin, Asbel Ngetich, Scott Richardson, Hal Boutte, Kyle Steele, Marco Montagino, Vincent Rono, Rosendo (squishy face) Vallerjos, Brandon Orso, Johnathon Thomas, Reese Lee, Seth Hall, Dusty Dishler, Cory Denstel, Jessie McDavitt, Michael Giles, Kirk Scoby, Brian Lozes, Peter Ring, Tya Ernestine, Kim Gastinell, Casey Zeller, Jen Rad, Shanna Lilkas, Kelli and Kayla Schneeweis, Jalynn McDonald, Cieria Johnson, and anyone else I forgot. The most important thanks goes to friggin’ Daniel Cocoa, the guy who bugged me to join the XC team for a year until I did. Finally to my Fiancee Kathryn Juneau.
-Watajua sisi ni wakvisto, kwa upendo.