Art
and Running
I followed
the examples of my friends Robert Berntsen and Doug Edwards by 'pursuing'
long-distance running in the early 80's. It turned out to be a pleasure,
although painful at times. I won well over a dozen ribbons for finishing
in the top five of my age division. There were some very interesting
people on the scene, including world-class racers Carolyn Ostler
and Demetrio Cabanillas, who became friends of mine. I made a few
minor graphics for the Salt Lake City Track Club, and Sojourners,
plus acquired DRAWERS full of souvenier t-shirts. |
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(Left*)
Yours truly,
in a road race along 10th Avenue, circa 1983. The U of U is
visible through the trees. (Above) The same road in Summer,
winding through City Creek Canyon towards the State Capitol
and downtown Salt Lake City. |
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(Above)
I won a Blue Ribbon at the Utah State Fair for shooting First
Across The Line at Salt Lake's founder's day marathon
in 1983. Catherine, an officer with the Salt Lake City Track
Club, is leading the champ to the chutes.
The day I got this prize, I also won my age division in a
race that traced the course of the Jordan River, where I used
to play as a child. I got the 6th Place overall ribbon, and
a kiss from a Miss State Fair Pagent winner, because the man
ahead of me ducked out before the finish. I gave it back in
exchange for the 7th Place ribbon, and a kiss from another
Pagent winner.
(Left) Catherine kindly asked me to be in the crew for the
Women's 5K in Liberty Park. I drew this picture of winner
Kelly Watkins, from a photo I took before the runners finished.
Kelly's father and mother were in the Track Club, and the
family was sponsored by Asiacs shoes. |
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All images
by Michael Evans, except *, by an unknown commercial photographer.
(Photo property of Michael Evans -- I ran the whole damn race and it
came to me in the mail -- IT'S MINE! )
First Across The Line was dodged, burned and developed by my former
roomate John Listopad (now a Ph.D in Art History) Thank You!
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