Start
|
Anniston, AL
|
N 33:44:16.00
W 85:49:04.88
|
N-S miles
18.7 |
End
|
Smyrna, GA
|
N 34:00:32.31
W 85:15:24.79
|
Total miles 105
|
Bagpipes? Yes, my
dad thought at least one of his eight sons should represent the Scotch Irish
side of the family and learn to play the pipes. Guess what, being the last of
the Mohicans, Glennie was handpicked to take chanter lessons from Mr. Harris
and to play in the grade school band. The idea of a Maze playing in the band
and not blocking and tackling on the football field was unheard of by all
brothers that preceded me. Playing the baritone in the band and going to music
contests was kind of cool, especially when I would get out of work on the farm
to take a trip to places like Sioux City, Iowa, a place that seemed like
another country to me due to the three hour bus ride needed to get to
Morningside College. So I tooted away for a year until Mr. Robosh gently
suggested I try another extracurricular activity. Actually I was getting bored
by then, so after sixth grade I was out of the baritone business and pacifying
my dad by pretending to practice the chanter at home. I was able to fake it up
to the start of my senior year in high school, when my dad laid down the law
and proclaimed I would not be able to play my final year of high school unless
I played the bagpipes. When you are the age of a high school senior, you don’t
embrace what your parents say so I said to myself that I was not going to play
bagpipes. Since I had a good junior year and the Carroll Tigers were expected
to have another good year, I figured Coach Macomber would talk some sense into
my dad. But to talk to the coach and expose the whole thing, I had to
participate in the preseason physical exams. The night of the exams I went down
to the barn and turned on the lights to give the impression I was shooting
baskets in the hay loft. However, I took the opportunity to run across the
fields and then down Carroll street to the high school gymnasium. I was late,
really late. The doctors had already packed up their equipment but they must have
felt sorry for me and one of them looked me over and checked my blood pressure.
After running a mile to get to the school and with tons of anxiety because I
skipped out, my blood pressure was sky high. I don’t know what it read but the
doctors had a conference and then ordered me to go lay on the wrestling mats in
a dark corner of the stage. After laying there for what seemed to be forever,
the coach came and pulled me out of the dark. Apparently my next reading was
lower so I was cleared to play football my senior year. Unfortunately there was
not a good time to tell my coach of my dilemma of not being able to play
without bagpipe skills. The next morning on KCIM, the local news station,
reported that the Carroll Tigers had their preseason football physicals the
previous night. My dad said, “Well I guess you won’t be playing football this
year.” “Ok” I said. “I promise to play
the bagpipes when the season is over.” And I did. I learned to play the Marines Hymn, my favorite, Blue Bells of Scotland and Wearing of the Green. But because I tore my medial meniscus against Sac
City my junior year, I was even slower than I was the year before. It is too bad
that arthroscopic surgery was not available back then although I am certain my
dad would not have let the orthopedic surgeon touch me. My dad was certain;
Doctor Joe had botched a broken leg years prior, causing an exceptionally
talented five star collegiate prospect, to lose his leg. George Maze was not
about to allow me to get the chunks of cartilage floating in my knee, removed by
Dr. Joe. So, I headed into my senior year of football with a weak and painful
knee. To protect it I wore a leather brace with a metal hinge. Talk about limitations
in speed and agility! Even with the brace on the knee would pop out of joint
and I would require help to pop it back in. It wasn’t until I was in the Air Force
some ten years later; I got the knee surgery I needed to make life a bit more
comfortable.
My knee has never
bothered me riding a bike or swimming but I did aggravate it running. After two
marathons and all the associated training miles, I gave up running and the pain
associated to ride bicycles.