ann kiemel

old jock semple.
much younger boston
marathoners might be
totally unfamiliar with him.
but you mustn't be. in many
respects, jock WAS the
marathon. he was with the first
ones to run the course. who
included heart-break hill...
as an extra challenge.

heart-break begins at mile 19,
through mile 24. right as you
approach the "wall". when you
want to die, you have 5 miles
of mountains to conquer first.

jock had a strong, scottish brogue.
"there's nothing to it really, ann.
you just put one foot in front of
the other." smile.

when jock loved you,
he loved you. i originally met
him through my friend, patti
catalano. she was the second,
fastest, female runner in the world.
jock was 65-70...and was the
trainer for the boston bruins. he
took patti and me into the sacred
territory of that space he had...
and rubbed through our sore
muscles and injuries.

more than anything,
i wanted jock to know Jesus.
sitting in the narrow, deep, hot-tub,
i would sing my little songs
to jock. telling him, over and over,
that Jesus lived and was real. and
cared for him.

i was sitting at my desk in idaho
falls, idaho, when my phone rang.
a man who had read my running
book called to tell me jock semple
was in the hospital, dying. this
friend found the hospital jock
was in, and i wept...as i reminded
jock that i couldn't face heaven
without him being there, too.

through streaming tears,
i prayed the sinner's prayer
with jock...and told him i would
meet him in Heaven. to this very
moment, i believe jock will be
at the gate when i step into
Heaven. i will always treasure him
as one of my very favorite people
ever.

run the Race,
and bring everyone
you can with you. the
yearning souls, longing
to be free. in Jesus.

jock semple and ann