tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621172731232796768.post2292995669805296758..comments2023-10-02T02:23:43.722+10:00Comments on running masters: Wynnum parkrun 1st 16;27Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14587034399590263977noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621172731232796768.post-80721515449262659492015-05-14T13:53:06.938+10:002015-05-14T13:53:06.938+10:00The Garmin Lama has settled comfortably into his n...The Garmin Lama has settled comfortably into his new mantle as maintainer of the Landy Legacy , an honourable and honorific title bestowed on him by none other than legendary coach Pat Clohessy after his extraordinary performance in this year's Minnippi Age Graded World Challenge . In what has become known as the " arm of God " incident among Garminites world wide , mystery today still surrounds what part divine providence or human intervention played in the rescuing of Paul Shard from his sea weed encrusted nightmarish fall. As the man himself has taken a monk's vow of solemn silence on the issue, which is seen by many as tacit recognition that it was in fact the Garmin Lama himself who rescued his stricken fan , it is certain that this incident will become apocryphal rather than anecdotal and ensure that Landy's legacy is etched ever more firmly into the collective consciences of an entire new generation of athletes so sorely in need of role models . The man himself , whose face now looks so benignly down on us from billboards as far removed as Alaska to Afghanistan and is unmistakably linked with Garmin in a partnership of cosmic proportions , will soon be stepping into the unchaterted waters of half marathoning and the hopes and aspirations of his myriads of fans will be holding their collective breaths and licking their chaffed lips whilst simultaneously willing their garmined hero onto ever more epoch defining performances . The voice of Yoyager 1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1621172731232796768.post-74933191830574719212015-05-05T08:04:59.615+10:002015-05-05T08:04:59.615+10:00It was a clearly emotional Pat Clohessy who paid t...It was a clearly emotional Pat Clohessy who paid tribute to the Garmin Lama after this year's Minnippi World Age Graded Master's challenge, transferred at the last minute to Wynnum due to inclement weather . Addressing the multitudes who had gathered to pay tribute to their beloved Garmin Lama , Clohessy drew on the example of John Landy who has been his life long inspiration and mentor . The iconic and legendary coach paid tribute to Landy who inspired a generation of athletes both in the Garmin Lama's adopted homeland and worldwide . He obviously sees McSweeney as the new Landy inspiring , through his garmined exploits , a new generation of champions . He even saw parallels with Landy's stopping to assist Ron Clarke who fell once in a famous race and that moment now captured forever in a magnificent bronze statue in Melbourne Park . Paul Shard ( like Clarke) fell as well on Saturday slipping on sea weed meters deep in places on the course . The larrikin Scotsman has had Shardy ( as he is known on the park running circuit) pledge to remain silent as to what impact that fall had on both their performances but it was significant . Shard paid tribute to his idol as well after the race . "They said I'd never walk again but the GL inspired me never to give up . KBO he said . Keep buggering on . When I slipped and was being trampled under foot I felt an arm haul me out from beneath the suffocating blanket of storm debris and sea weed ." When asked to elaborate further Shardy said he was pledged to silence for the rest of his life . History will recall that Anne Ryan , a devoted disciple of both Clohessy and McSweeney , was the winner of the 2015 age graded challenge but the real winners were those on hand to see the passing on of the Landy legacy and tradition to the Garmin Lama . As Clohessy put it , Monna will be forever associated with his special brand of fartlek . Likewise McSweeney will always be linked with the Garmin age of which he was the harbinger . A fitting tribute that Australia's premier and world renown coach was on hand to symbolise the passing on of that baton in the form of a simple fastest time trophy . There may have been a dry eye in the audience but this correspondent couldn't see it . Great Sporting momentsnoreply@blogger.com