Awakening the Athlete Within Ray Glier
Ray Glier has written for various media for over 40 years, as a contributor to national publications including The New York Times, Vice Sports, USA TODAY, The Miami Herald, The Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Washington Post. The author of five books, Glier has a passion for master sports and seniors athletes, and shares their stories of triumph and joy in his unique, inspiring, and always moving weekly newsletter, Geezer Jock. For more great masters sports content, subscribe to Ray’s free weekly email at geezerjocknewsletter.com. 16
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Kay Glynn eats broccoli every day, but that is not the most earnest thing she does. Kay pole vaults in sub-freezing temperatures, and there have been days of 0 degrees in the Missouri farm country where she lives. She is a 68-year old grandmother and has her own indoor training facility, a she-shed she calls it. The 100-foot metal building does not have heat, so this winter if it is 0 outside, it is likely 0 inside, but it blunts the wind coming off the Ozarks and keeps the snow off her runway and landing pad. There is a story behind this training facility for the woman who once held masters world records indoors and outdoors for the pole vault. Kay has been married to Mike 47 years and they raised their family in Iowa. When family matters had them live apart for a year — Mike in Missouri, Kay in Iowa — Kay would make the 4½-hour drive to see Mike. “He said to me one day, ‘If you had a (pole vault) pit down here would you stay longer?’ “I might,” Kay said with a laugh. “And, lo and behold that Christmas I got a she-shed and it is the ultimate she-shed. I love being there. It is a 100-foot long shed and I learned how to hammer the boards together for the pit and use the drill and do everything inside there.”
Photo by Del Moon
Jumping for Joy
