"Vitality Plus Institute Quarterly"

Volume 1, Issue 1 Winter 2003-2004

One on One with Jack Bray
Mary Fagan reporting for the Tamalpa Gazette

Recently I had the great pleasure to talk with Jack Bray about his recent wins at the World Masters Championships, his life as an athlete, and his personal philosophy. In a mere forty-minute conversation my spirits were lifted and my adrenaline rushing because of Jack's positive attitude, his joyful outlook toward life, and his terrific knack for story telling. If this interview expresses half of the information and enthusiasm that Jack expressed to me over the phone then I will feel that I have done well. The other piece is in your hands, the next time you see Jack, congratulate him and ask him about his many, many awesome experiences on the track, trails, under the lights, and in foreign places!

Q: How was your recent trip to Puerto Rico for the World Masters Championships?

Jack: It was very good. The weather was warm. Temperatures reached over 90 degrees and the humidity was very high.

Q: What events did you compete in and how did you do?

Jack: I competed in the 5K race walk, setting an American record of 28:38, winning my first gold medal of the competition. Five days after racing in the 5K, I competed in the 20K winning another gold medal. In the 20K I also won the team championship with two American team mates. Just one day after this I was invited to race as an alternate in the 4 X 400 meters relay team on Sunday. I agreed to do this despite having just raced the Friday before. Immediately after finishing my 20K I soaked in an ice bath and began to mentally prepare myself for a fast effort on Sunday. I earned my fourth gold medal in the 400 meter relay running a 69 second quarter. It was great!

Q: How does this meet compare to other meets you have been to?

Jack: The spirit and camaraderie were very high. It was a great experience!

Q: What is your most memorable racing experience?

Jack: Qualifying for the 20K racewalk at the World Cup qualifier at the age of 55 in San Jose. I also had a great race at the World Masters Championships in Miyazaki, Japan. As it turned out there were three of us in the race who were fairly competitive with each other. We had competed in the 20K just a few days before and had the 5K remaining. One of us, Max, had won the 20K. Our other competitor Shin was put in a slower 5K heat. He raced before us setting a new record of 26:04. This really put the pressure on Max and me. For the entire 5K Max and I went at it back and forth, all the way to the last lap when Max tried to pass me. It came down to the wire. I held Max off and won finishing in 26:01 setting a new American record on the way.

Q: Were you always athletic?

Jack: Growing up I played basketball and took dance lessons with my sister. As a young child I was very shy. My parents thought I might benefit from dance lessons, as it would help me open up. In high school and college I competed in the 200 and 400 meter races. Entering college I was offered a full scholarship to play basketball with John Wooden. I instead went to San Jose State University also on a full scholarship. From San Jose I was sent to the Navy where I trained with the All Navy Basketball Team. Our team was very successful so we were sent to Hawaii to train and maintain special services. This was a terrific time. During my early twenties I was a dancer and choreographer on Broadway. I assisted in the productions of My Fair Lady and West Side Story as well as others. For several years I appeared on the Steve Allen TV show dancing and acting as choreographer.

Q: When did you start running again?

Jack: When I moved back to San Francisco I returned to running. The feeling of racing and competition has always been in my blood so I started racing and entered many marathons and long races. The marathons were very tough on my body. It would take me days to recover and I found that it was tough to go to work following a marathon.

Q: How did you start racewalking?

Jack: I was running in the Paul Mason Marathon about 16 years ago and felt great for the first fifteen miles. In between mile 15 and 16 I hit the wall and had to walk. My body was aching. As I was walking someone came whizzing by walking about a 6:30-minute pace. I was shocked. I asked this person, "What are you doing?" and the person replied that,"I am racewalking. Come and see me after the race and I will tell you about it." I was not in the marathon much longer that day. Before too long a bus stopped and the door opened and who should step our but Walt Stack. He invited me to come on the bus and go back to get cleaned up. I did not finish the marathon that day but I was introduced to the person who inspired me more than anyone else in my racewalking career, that person was Marco Evoniuk. Marco was the individual who was racewalking the 6:30 pace in the marathon. He is a 5 time Olympian who lives in San Francisco. he introduced me to the technique and sport of racewalking. He connected me with my mentor Bill Ranney whose protege was Peggy Smithe. Marco and Bill pointed me in the right direction and got me to start training.

Q: What does a typical training week look like for you?

Jack: My training weeks are scheduled around my races. The next race for me is the USATF National Masters Championships in Eugene, Oregon. I will be competing in the 5K and 10K racewalk events and running in the 200/400 meter races if they don't conflict with the racewalking events. Typically I will do two to three speed sessions a week and depending on my race schedule I will do long training sessions on Sundays. I also incorporate hills into my weekly regime.

Q: What is the hardest workout you do?

Jack: 8 X 800 meters at race pace with a 2 minute and 30 second recovery or I will do 5 X 200 meters (5 laps) with a three minute recovery.

Q: Do you prefer to train alone or with other people?

Jack: It is always better to train with someone faster or younger. They can push you along the way. It is hard to find people to train with due to work schedules and their level of experience and speed. Running track on Tuesday nights is great because I have a lot of people there who can push me and it is fun to push the fast guys in front.

Q: How long does it take you to recover after a tough race?

Jack: A 5K will usually take two to three days and a 20K can take a week or two.

Q: What is the longest distance and the shortest distance you have every raced in?

Jack: My shortest race is 200 meters and my longest race was a 50K, which I finished in the low 5-hour range.

Q: What are your top times in your favorite distances?

Jack: This year at the USATF Masters Indoor Nationals in Boston I set a world record in the 3K-16:07. At the age of 65 in 1997 I raced 26:01 in the 5K, in 1998 I raced 15:41 in the 3K and in 1993 I raced a 25:09 in the 5K, all of which are American records.

Q: What are your future goals?

Jack: I would like to stay healthy. I would like to help anyone my age that would like to racewalk. I would like to set a high quality with regard to the standard of my racing and training. I am setting my sights on the World Masters Championships in two years, which are going to be held in San Sebastian, Spain and then the next one to be held in four years from now in Italy. It is very important for me to have expectations and a plan to execute my training. Being a part of the Tamalpa Runners helps to keep me focused, as it is obvious that the runners in the club have clear expectations for the running programs.

Q: What kind of advice would you give someone who wants to try racewalking?

Jack: Get a good coach to teach you the fundamentals. In racewalking one foot is always on the ground. Your leg must be staight when your heel touches the ground. Take my course at the College of Marin or take private lessons with me.

Q: When and why did you join the Tamalpa Running Group?

Jack: I joined five years ago. I would see the Thursday morning group doing their workouts and I would see very gifted runners. They all looked very beautiful and graceful. It was inspiring. I knew Sister Marion Irvine and I knew Shirley Matson. These individuals encouraged me to join the club. It is a great club. I also decided that once I turned 70 I could go back to running after my 16-year break from it. It was just too much for my body. I now incorporate a lot of stretching and weight lifting into my daily routine. I stretch for 35 minutes every morning and I do isometrics on a regular basis. It makes me a stronger athlete.

Q: What is your philosophy for life?

Jack: Live a good quality of life. Stay fit. Live every day as if it was your last day. Have no anger. Have love. Have no ego.

For more information about Tamalpa Runners, please visit their website at:
www.tamalparunners.org