The student news site of Argyle High School

The Talon

The student news site of Argyle High School

The Talon

The student news site of Argyle High School

The Talon

Senior Sports Writer Wins Honorable Mention at JEA/NSPA National Contest with Story about Boston Marathon Runner

Senior+Sports+Writer+Wins+Honorable+Mention+at+JEA%2FNSPA+National+Contest+with+Story+about+Boston+Marathon+Runner

Write off competitions at national contests offer a variety of opportunities and featured speakers where students must prove their abilities in journalistic live interview, writing, and AP style.  This year, the student’s guest speaker was blind Boston runner Josh Crary, who shared the amazing story of the challenges he’s faced in his life as he’s tried to run the Boston marathon the last two years.  At age 14, he was diagnosed with a condition that left him almost completely blind by age 19. After struggling with his condition as it worsened during high school, he embraced it as an undergrad and then moved to Boston for grad school. When he realized the significance of the Boston Marathon, he decided to completely change his lifestyle so he could compete in it, and complete it. Along the way, he lost 35 pounds and went from 30 minutes at a time on a treadmill to 3 1/2 hours, plus lots of additional training with a guide runner. His average mile time during long runs dropped from 10 1/2 minutes to eight minutes. Unfortunately, he was one of hundreds of runners felled by brutal heat in 2012. Then, he lost both his parents to unexpected illnesses within two months of one another. Finally, he had just reached the top of Heartbreak Hill in 2013 and had 6.2 miles to go when the bombs went off at the finish line.

THERE WERE 2,032 ENTRANTS in the Write-Off competitions this year at the national competition in Boston, MA on Nov. 15, 2013.

859 Award Recipients

141 Superiors (Highest Rankings)

259 Excellent (Second Highest Rankings

459 Honorable Mentions (Third Highest Rankings)

 

Jack Graham’s “Honorable Mention” winning entry in the competition is shown below:

“It’s been a rich 13 years,” says Josh Crary, a man struck with continuous tragedies throughout the second half of his life.

Twenty-seven year old Crary was diagnosed with Choroideremia, a condition that later caused blindness, at age 14.  he was at first severely troubled, but Crary turned his misfortune into inspiration, when deciding to participate in the Boston Marathon.

After Crary was diagnosed, he began “living in doubt and living in denial.”

After high school, Crary found himself in a scary situation where he almost died from swimming while on a camping trip with friends.  That day, Crary states, “was the turning point of my life.”

He began to use a cane to help him get around, no longer living in denial.  After graduating college, Crary made one of the most pivotal decisions in his life:  he was going to train for the Boston Marathon.

Josh Crary began to train for the 2012 Boston Marathon 16 months before, determined to make a difference in not only his life, but more importantly in others’ lives.

He states, “As I was training, I found a message and mission.  I needed to stand for something I would not have eight years ago.”

Crary competed in the 2012 Boston Marathon, but failed to finish because he suffered a heat stroke.  Heartbroken for only a few days, Crary began to train for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

This determination from Crary soon diminished for a few months though after both of his parents died due to sudden illnesses.

“It threw a wrench at my future,”  Crary stated, but he managed to prepare himself in time for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Crary, excited as could be to finally finish the Marathon, received a phone call about the bombing that occurred in the area.  He was disappointed at first, but realized that he wanted everyone to be safe first and foremost.

Crary soon after began training again, and he will compete in the 2014 Boston Marathon.

Josh Crary, through thick and thin, has influenced many people throughout the world and will hope to finish the race on this third attempt.

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