The Warrior Within

There are many ways to go about describing a runner. In Eleo Zayas’ case, the task looms even larger for what we are attempting here is something greater – painting the portrait of a truly inspirational human being.

From his earliest days he learned to find enjoyment in the simple pleasures that running affords and as he grew, the meek young boy was soon transformed into a rebel spirit. Just ask him why he runs and this maverick of a poet will say that besides giving him a sense of accomplishment and of defying time, he enjoys “ running hard to escape the chasing bulls…stealing fruit at the nearby farms…keeping pace with the moving train while pulling sugar cane from between the slats of its cargo cars.”

Back in the 1960’s when the running boom was still in its infancy stages and had yet to revolutionize the way Americans viewed the “ loneliness of the long distance runner,” Eleo began to hit the roads himself. He started out going barefoot on the lawn and taking lonely walks at night. In the 70’s he discovered shoes and began running solo on sidewalks until he finally settled down with his family in ‘77 “ to make a home.” But the child within was awakened as soon as he started running again with his pet Dalmatian seventeen years later, the dog doing most of the work, of course. For the first time ever, Eleo actually had some company on his runs and this seemingly invincible man worked up to 11 miles each day in wearing nothing less than steel shoes.

After participating in the 1999 Corporate Run, a race that he’s been hooked on ever since, he visited a local shoe store and by late 2002 was running with a group. Together with his mentors and training partners, he went on to run his first 10K in April of 2003 (54:57), his first half-marathon in December that same year, and his first official marathon in February of 2004. This past January, he ran a personal best 3:51 at the ING Miami Marathon and has plans for running even faster next year.

For Eleo, however, it’s really not about the times or personal records he’s set. His training is one of “ common sense, discipline, survival, and listening to others’ experiences. Any quest originating from your heart, he says, has a great probability of success.” This comes from a man who has run 36 miles in 5:46:00 with aspirations of running 50 miles in under 8 hours some day.

If you’re looking for an inflated ego, you certainly won’t find one here. For someone with such lofty aspirations, he feels that “ there comes a time when, even if you haven’t realized all your running goals, you have to start putting back into the community.” He is grateful to all those who have helped him throughout the years; those “ who showed him what to wear, what to eat, how to pace, guided him to the amenities on the trail, and showed him the tips and tricks of the road…. Those who slowed their pace down to whisper words of encouragement in his ear, who asked him if he was OK when he didn’t look so good.”

In a heart-warming tale of role reversals, it is now Eleo who claims that he “ will go any distance for a friend.” When running in a group, he becomes “ protective of all his peers, senses alert, making sure that no one gets hurt under his watch.” In fact, if he could change on thing from his past it would be to “ recover all those years that he ran alone, ignorant of the existence of a running community.” This running community that took him under his wing at the beginning is the same one that continues to provide “stimulation, various times and locations to run with friends, logistical support, planned events, traveling companions, and a comradeship among people with similar interests.” Those he mentors are exhorted by veteran advice: “ Train with your buddies, but when running the marathon, take your schedule seriously. Do not miss your last bathroom call, hydrate adequately, run your own race, and you will be waiting for them at the finish line.”

So Eleo, who is now 52 years old, has learned to “ have a deep appreciation for the gifts we have and often ignore.” But don’t let his age fool you. For though he admits that he “ has matured tremendously in the last year….the clown in him still quietly slumbers.” He understands that to run fully, one must be able to reconnect with the child within. Indeed, listening to him talk about running would bring out the poet, the romantic, and the philosopher in each and every one of us:

“ Running is an experience of freedom, an adventure into the painless ecstasy of the endorphin high. The enjoyment of nature under our observant eyes, as life unravels on the paths, on the trails… a flower scent, every bird that takes flight, the appreciation of a tree’s shade, the lullaby of the shore, the salty taste of the surf, the fresh scent of the sea, golden bars of the sunrise, the reward of a majestic lighthouse rising from our feet, caressed by its powdery sands… the relief of anxieties, the empowering of the solo run, the satisfaction of pacing a beginner, a recovering injured runner, a mother returning from childbirth, the most cherished, a one-on-one outing with a dear friend.”

By the time we had concluded our interview, he said to me: “ I wish there was more of me to share.” Eleo, in giving everything, you bless us with what only you could give and the world is a much richer place for it. Now it is us, the flock you have chosen to lead, that gives you much thanks.