Fritz Klumpp
The film “Forrest Gump” is now considered a classic. For me, viewing it was very nostalgic because it seemed to cover such a broad spectrum of my life’s formative years. The role that running played in the life of the fictional character, Forrest Gump, reminded me of my own boyhood and the many times I was either running to something or from something. At other times I just ran for the sheer exhilaration, joy and freedom I experienced during that simple act of exertion.
As a boy, I remember reading about a Czechoslovakian long-distance runner, Emil Zatopek, best-known for winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. He won gold medals in the 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter runs, but his final medal came when he decided at the last minute to compete in the first marathon of his life. My fascination wasn’t limited to this amazing man; it extended to anyone who could run a race 26 miles and 385 yards in length.