Homeless But Never Hopeless. A Geezer Jock Plots His Course. Ray Glier
Tim Jenkins, 69, has been clobbered by addiction, molestation, homelessness, bullying, murder trauma, and utter sadness. Yet, not once in a 65-minute interview with Jenkins did I hear him add to the calamitous list with this: Hopelessness.
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.
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He never said he had given up hope. Not once. The man who has slept on concrete and had a yearslong addiction to crack cocaine, sends himself hope daily, as if he is a compulsive Amazon shopper merely clicking a “proceed to checkout” button. Tim has embraced hope for 60-plus years, even as he ran the rat-infested alleyways of Chicago and Louisville. Things will get better, he kept telling himself, as he was buried under the dogpile of what a mean life has to offer. It was his faith, of course, and a cussed stubbornness, that gave him hope. So, understand, this is not a sob story. It is a hope story. These days, Jenkins is especially hopeful. He has broken the spell of addiction, and he is determined that he can be a Masters track star in 2022 when he is the ripe age of 70. His body, the one he has abused, is his bankroll. He has sculpted it with weights over the last eight years, even when he was homeless, because the Southwest YMCA in Louisville welcomed him. Jenkins is a newbie to track—he has lined up for just 12 races—so his ceiling is still out of his reach, even as he closes in on 70. In 2018, with no training, Jenkins broke the Kentucky record in the senior games in the 50-meter dash. He finished second in the 100. The night before the race he slept in his car. Those were his first races in Masters Track. Jenkins says he wants to win national championships in the 50 and 100 in the 2022 National Senior Games in Ft. Lauderdale (he’s qualified). He wants to win again at the USA Track & Field Masters Championships, which will be held in Lexington, Ky., not far from where he lives.
