If you're familiar with running in the Fresno area, then you know this picture is priceless. When you and your friends sit around discussing the best over-70 male, amateur runners in the San Joaquin Valley -- don't lie, you know you do -- these are the three men you talk about.
From left to right, they are Frank Delgado, Chris Denny and Willie Leffall. All are more than 70 years old, and all very competitive runners. I had them get together Saturday for the world's first picture of the three of them together. (If you have a picture of these three, just let me pretend.)
As you can see, Leffall won a medal on Saturday, finishing second to Denny in the 2-mile race for his age group.
Fun story: For 20 years or so, Leffall lost to these other two guys, until one year he decided he was going to get serious. So he started eating two salads a day and running so hard he dropped 25 pounds. That was a couple years ago and he's been beating Denny pretty regularly since. (Although obviously not on Saturday.)
But he's never beaten Delgado and he couldn't help noticing that as his times got lower and lower, they were never in the same race together. If he ran the 5k, Delgado was in the 2-mile. If he ran the 5k, Delgado was in the 10k. Turns out Delgado was purposely ducking him.
Leffall says Delgado doesn't want to race him because he assumes if Leffall beat him, then he would never race him again and go out on top ... which is exactly right. That is what Leffall wants to do. It's the running joke between them.
They have agreed to run the same race on Father's Day in downtown Fresno to finally settle who is the better runner. And I will be there to chronicle it. More importantly, though, how funny is it that a guy nearly 70 YEARS OLD would drop 25 pounds to beat a couple other 70-year-olds in a bunch of races with no prize money and only $5 medals as prizes?? And then a 70-year-old guy would duck another 70-year-old guy to make sure he didn't get beat, and then they would arrange a high-noon showdown. How crazy is that? Is that not the most guy thing you've ever heard? This is why women want us to get checked regularly for head injuries.
Speaking of older runners. Here is a Franz Weinschenk, the oldest runner in Saturday's race. He's at least 80. No story. Just got a picture of him coming down the straightaway to the finish.
Also, you should know that this girl pushed me down near the finish line, which is how she got a medal and I didn't. Do not be fooled by her cuteness. She's ruthless. Look, she's bragging to her mom about it right here and the mom is laughing.
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