I Once Drug My Son Across The Track

Have you ever felt like someone was trying to drag your name through the mud?  Well I had one of those days’ yesterday.  In fact, the day was so bad that a more accurate depiction would be to say that yesterday it felt like someone was trying to drag me across an artificial track surface.

It’s highly unlikely that you have any familiarity with the expression “trying to drag me across an artificial track surface”.  Notwithstanding the strangeness of the expression, I can assure you that it has a real meaning.  “Trying to drag me across an artificial track surface” like most expressions has its origin in an actual event.

TRYING TO DRAG ME ACROSS AN ARTIFICAL TRACK SURFACE

During an early spring day in 2002, Naeem was training for the first major track meet of the season.  It was a gloriously beautiful spring late Friday afternoon.  I know that I am one who loves to embellish but I can assure you that in describing this day, there is no need to exaggerate.  The conditions were absolutely perfect.

As if I could have asked for anything more than a beautiful day, Naeem was in great spirits and he was more eager than usual to train.  For the father, who also happened to be his child’s coach, finding his son/athlete happy and ready to train coupled with the great weather was a gift from the track gods.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Naeem and I performed all our customary warm-ups.  Back then, I was his primary training partner.  Not only did I have the honor to coach him but I was privileged to learn some valuable lessons about parenting.  One of those important lessons was that I shouldn’t ask him to do something that I wasn’t willing to commit to doing myself.

During each practice, every warm-up exercise and drill that Naeem performed I did right along with him.  We didn’t just work out in synchronized unison but we often dressed alike.  Trust me when I tell you that Naeem and big Naeem were a sight to see.

Not surprisingly, training with Naeem helped me get in the best shape of my life.  And this is also not an embellishment.  I was in such great shape and felt so good back then – that most mornings when I woke – I looked in the mirror and wanted to jump back and kiss myself.

NOW THE BAD PART

Unfortunately, everything that day was not beautiful.  With maybe less than fifteen minutes remaining in our practice, Naeem enquired about the newest training device that I had purchased.  The Tandem Tow was a device that I bought to help him get faster.  According to the manufacturer, The Tandem Tow would improve a runner’s speed and quickness.

The Tandem Tow is a resistance training tool.  The front runner tows the back runner — AND the faster the front runner is the greater acceleration the back partner attains.  I was the front runner and Naeem was the back runner.

We strapped on The Tandem Tow and prepared to run the first of two reps.  Our first rep was an uneventful success.  Not only did Naeem indicate that he felt like he was forced to run faster but he was having a blast.  And then it happened, I started running the second rep before Naeem was ready to run.

STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE

In a split second, the day had gone from fantastic to horrific.  No longer were Naeem and I training partners sharing the blissful experience of The Tandem Tow during a spectacular spring day.  Rather, it was as if the sky had suddenly darkened while I had simultaneously become the worst father in the world.

For thirty meters or more, I was unknowingly and unintentionally dragging my one and only baby boy across an artificial track surface.  Everyone on the track and in the stands were yelling at me to stop.

I was sickened once I recognized that everyone was looking at me and yelling at me to stop dragging my son across the artificial track surface.  My God, what had I done?  I didn’t want to turn around but I knew I had to.

As I prepared to turn around, I started hyperventilating in a way that I had never done before.  I expected the worst.  I was certain that Naeem would be bruised physically and damaged mentally beyond recognition.  To add injury to illness, I just knew his mom was going to kill me for harming her son.

THE HEART OF A CHAMPION

I took a deep breath and turned around.  I was partially correct.  Mom was definitely ready to kill me.  The look on her face made it painfully clear, I was in trouble and it would be a while before her wrath, like Khan’s, subsided.  So like any wise father, I did everything I could not to look her way.

Surprisingly, Naeem was better than I expected.  No such luck…he was definitely battered, bruised, and bleeding from a couple enormous gashes on his arms and legs.  Notwithstanding his obvious injuries, the first words out of his mouth suggested that his injuries were only physical.  “Dad” he said, “it’s okay, I’m going to be alright and someday when I win an Olympic medal we’ll laugh about this”.

BIG LESSONS FROM A SMALL PERSON

Naeem’s words left me wondering if I hadn’t been the one who had just been drug across the track.  Could Naeem have really said what I thought I heard him say?

As I picked him up to carry him to the car, he reassured me that I wasn’t imagining his comforting words.  “Dad” he continued from before, “I love you and I know this was an accident but next time would you please make sure I’m ready to run before you take off?” Doing everything in my power to hold back my tears, I told him that I loved him too and that I would be much more careful next time.

Yesterday, when I was having my bad day and felt as though I was being drug across an artificial track, I remembered that spring day in 2002.  I also remembered my rule to never ask him to do something that I wasn’t committed to doing myself.

It was my promise to never do less than I asked of him which provided another opportunity to reflect and draw strength from the lessons my son taught me when he was seven years old.  Those lessons included things like:

• The measure of a person is not how horrifically we fall down but instead we are remembered by our conviction to get back up;
• It is easier to move beyond bad times when those unfortunately regrettable moments originate from loving but unintentional mishaps;
• Most people miss out on realizing their dreams because they fail to appreciate the power of human resiliency;
• Greatness occurs only when we are willing to reach for levels and challenge ourselves in ways others are unwilling to try; and
• Sometimes being drug across the artificial track surface is the universe’s final test to determine whether or not we are worthy of becoming a champion.

MENTAL AND MEDAL

In case you were wondering what happened to Naeem after the injury, I’ll share the short version of the story.  I bandaged him, applied ice to all the bruised areas, and prayed that he would be able to run the next day.  I also prayed that mom would not kill me while I slept.

On Saturday morning, we drove to Columbus, Ohio for the track meet.  As it turns out, that Saturday was a good day.  Mom did not kill me in my sleep and Naeem was able to run.  And if the day wasn’t perfect enough already, Naeem ran his personal best times while winning all his events.

As for The Tandem Tow, we continued to use it but only when Naeem approved and only when we ran in the grass.  Naeem made it clear that being drug across an artificial track surface once is more than enough.  And I totally agree!

How have you prepared your children to handle hard times?  What tools and techniques do you use when faced with adversity?  Have you ever been drug across an artificial track surface?

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