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Remembering Palmer

I was training for my first marathon in the summer of 1988 and was out for a long weekend run. It was late morning and was heating up to be a warm summer day. I was into my third mile in St. David when a car pulled up parallel to me on the other side of the road. It was Andy Palmer, asking me how I was doing and how far I was going. I hadn’t seen him for years.

While I ran he drove along and fielded my many questions. What should I eat before the race? When should I eat it? How much should I rest/taper before? He sensed my concern about this pending event and, realizing that I needed additional coaching and support, stopped his car and ran with me.

He quizzed me as well. How long was my longest run to date? Was I doing hill work? Speed work? He then asked me about water? Where’s my water? I told him there was a well at Mount Carmel at the 6.5-mile halfway point. He said simply, “No good. I’ll be right back.” He turns and heads back to his car.

Another two miles goes by and here’s Andy again with water. He had gone back to Madawaska, through the McDonald’s drive-through and filled up his athletic bottle, ice and all. He hands me the bottle and says to keep it, that he has plenty of them. His parting words were, “Drink lots of water during your runs, especially the longer ones, even if you’re not thirsty.” Something I’ve never forgotten.

With great sadness, I read the Bangor Daily News article (Feb. 5) on his untimely death. As Joan Benoit Samuelson stated, “He would give his shirt off his back to anybody.” I believe on that day he would have given me his sneakers as well. In running two Olympic Trials and winning the Seattle Marathon, Andy was a world-class runner, and for the consideration he showed to his fellow persons he was a world-class guy. He will be missed.

Mark McDermott

Madawaska

Versyp’s team doing well

After reading Hal Wheeler’s letter of Feb. 11 slamming UMaine women’s basketball coach Sharon Versyp for not playing her veterans, I wondered if he has attended any games this year.

I have attended eight home games and feel that she has done a great job. They are a young team and still learning, but a 14-10 won-lost record at this writing is certainly quite good. All the players that are healthy get playing time and whether starting or off the bench, they play with determination and intensity that is great to watch.

This is, after all, NCAA Division I basketball, not an intramural league, and the objective is winning not making everyone get equal playing time.

Terry Lyon

Medway

Old tourney was better

This is in reference to the item in The Weekly (Feb. 14), I liked the comments by George Hale, Bob Cimbollek and Ron Brown. Everything they said was so true.

I think it’s about time for the Maine Principals’ Association listen to people like Hale, Cimbollek and Brown who know basketball and the tournament.

This last farce makes no sense at all. What’s the incentive for any team to do their best? They will be in the tournament anyway, no matter if they’re No. 1 or No. 20.

I would like to see the tournament like it should be: No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7 and so on. It should also be in three days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. That would be basketball at its best.

The MPA sure needs some good advice from someone before they ruin the game.

Don Smart

Old Town