From the Editor’s Desk Brent Manley Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
Goodbye, and thanks
The photo of me that always accompanies this column shows me smiling. It was taken from a photo of me and Donna, my wife, at one of the parties we have every year shortly after the annual road race series is concluded. I’m not smiling as I write this because I am very sad. The reason for that occurred nine days ago on Jan. 1, when one of MRTC’s best – Lane Purser – died unexpectedly at the age of 77. News of Lane’s passing hit me hard. I won’t say we were best friends, but I admired him for his dedication to the running community and MRTC and his willingness to do whatever it took to further the goals of the club. Many of you, especially those who run in MRTC races, know Lane as the “Voice of MRTC” for his unique way of getting races started. Shortly before time to start the race, Lane would climb a small ladder and, using a bull horn, would begin, “Gooooooood morning, runners!” He would then follow with information runners need to know – for example, if there might be traffic issues on the course. It didn’t take long for the crowds to begin to express their approval of Lane’s style with enthusiastic applause. The following is from an article I wrote for the Commercial Appeal in the summer of 2012 about Lane and J. Lee Taylor – another “voice” at races in the area, but not in the same style as Lane.
Lane Purser about to start a race. 1
“It doesn’t feel like a race unless you hear Lane getting the runners pumped up,” says Lisa Overall, MRTC president. Adds DJ Watson, who had to fill in for Purser at last year’s Women Run/ Walk Memphis 5K: “What Lane does is a lot harder than you think – getting on the ladder, being heard, then getting out of the way of 800 women runners.” Says Rob Hunter, a
