Few legs have covered as much ground as Ted Noble. An avid runner for 45-plus years while competing in close to 600 races, not only did running become Nobles hobby, but his passion.
With a lifetimes worth of running knowledge, Noble has taken it upon himself to give back to amateur runners looking to find their place. Over the summer, Noble worked with several runners from Iola High. Evidently, Nobles teachings paid off as both Mustangs and Fillies reached state.
But before Noble could become a coach, he had to learn the ropes himself.
Nobles first exposure to running was when he was in high school. After being lapped, Nobles coach pulled him from the race, perhaps due to embarrassment, according to Noble. Since that event, Noble vowed to complete every race, even though it would be some time before Noble stepped back on the course.
In his early twenties, living in Everett, Wash., Noble balanced college and working full time. In those days, Nobles exercise routine was done in the bathtub. He would fill the tub full of hot water, slip on three layers of clothes and perform jazzercise long before it came to prominence. One day, his wife Sally, told him to go outside and run, and since then, running has a part of Nobles life.
It is kind of addicting, Noble said. It is a way to push yourself, and I really enjoyed racing, along with the people.
Noble trained by running 55 miles a week, and traveled to the local track to time himself, aiming to finish each lap in 80 seconds. Seeking daily improvement, Noble fell in love with competing, stating, there were people I wanted to beat.
I got to where I was more competitive, and got to know more people, Noble said. I started to think more about the mental part of running. In my opinion, running is 60% mental, and 40% physical. It is a tough sport, and I believe it is one of the toughest three sports that you can do in high school.
Out of the hundreds of races he has run, one sticks out among the rest. Noble recalls starting out from Lake Washington and finishing at the University of Washingtons track. Also competing in the race was Earl Ellis, a friend of Nobles, who had been voted as one of the countrys top master runners (ages 40-49).
At one point of the race, runners formed a V-formation while crossing a floating bridge on Lake Washington, which blocked any wind trending in the runners direction. With Ellis leading the event, Noble felt the urge to break the formation, and pass him up.
I went stupid, and I had to pass him, Noble said. And so I got out in front of him, and sooner rather than later, the whole V-formation passed me up. That was the dumbest race I ever ran in my life.
Although Nobles most notable race is finishing in the top 10 at the Lilac Bloomsday Run in Spokane, Wash., his blunder on the floating bridge at Lake Washington resonates the most. Noble says that race taught him to have control, a lesson he preaches while training runners on the track.
Noble used to train with his son, Rich. As word of Nobles training techniques surfaced, the captain of the local high school cross country team asked if he could participate in Nobles training. Noble agreed, and as time progressed, more runners appeared for training.
We ended up having 31 kids waiting for me to come home and run one night, and the police told me I would need to get a permit to a parade if I kept that up, Noble said.
The students Noble assisted attended Marysville Pilchuck High in Marysville, Wash., an hour north of Seattle. Nobles impact helped direct Marysville Pilchucks girls cross country team to the schools first, and only, state honor in 1998. Noble was granted an honorary letter from the high school, and was nominated by the Pilchuck runners to be recognized as the Northwest runner of the month. Noble received a plaque with the letter, along with a written note thanking him for his contributions.
Behind every team of successful, dedicated runners, there are extraordinary caring people, writes the letter from Marysville Pilchucks cross country program. Those important people are necessary for the recipe of success. Ted Noble is our secret ingredient, and very special friend.
