Running in memory of Ryan Shay

By Chris Furnari

I normally run because I am training for a specific goal. I normally run because I want to be physically fit and live a healthy life. On Monday night, I ran for different reasons.

Last Saturday morning, the country's best male marathoners toed the line on a chilly day in New York City for the Olympic Trials.

Among some of the notable runners participating were local standouts Ryan Hall (a former Stanford runner), San Mateo resident Peter Gilmore and even Santa Clara law student J.T. Service.

Hall, perhaps the most talented of all athletes in the field, won the race easily in an Olympic Trials record time of 2:09.02.

However, his extraordinary achievement would soon be overshadowed by the death of his training partner and friend, 28-year-old Ryan Shay.

Roughly one hour after Hall completed the rigorous 26.2-mile course, news spread that Beijing hopeful Ryan Shay had collapsed just five and a half miles into the race.

He was pronounced dead shortly after collapsing.

"It really changes the dynamic of the Olympic Trials. You are just so excited to be there and to be done, and it just brings a mixture of feelings and casts a shadow on the whole day," said Service, who ran for Santa Barbara during the same years Shay was competing on the college level.

Shay, a 2002 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, was a nine-time All-American in cross country and track while running for the Irish. He was also the 2003 U.S. marathon champion.

According to his father, Shay had an enlarged heart, but was cleared by doctors to continue competing in competitive marathon racing.

The passing of such an accomplished runner and an even better man is a difficult loss for the entire community of distance runners, especially those who knew him personally.

Shay's death is the most recent tragedy to hit the running community and the entire sporting world this year. Last month, a 35-year-old police officer collapsed and died while running the Chicago Marathon.

However, it is the passing of such an elite athlete in peak physical condition that makes us all appreciate the lives we have.

On Monday night, I did the only thing I could to honor the loss of such a great American distance runner: I ran.

I ran exactly 5.5 miles, stopped, and shared a brief moment of silence for Shay. His life and talent will surely be missed, but not forgotten. May he rest in peace.