I had never tried to run a mile until I needed to in order to pass the Boy Scout physical fitness merit badge.
I was perhaps the weakest boy as a seventh grader at Irving Junior High School. That claim is supported by the fact that in gym class during a personal fitness test I was unable to do even one push-up! The tough kids didn't bother to pick on me but instead were around me cheering me on to do at least one push-up. I could not get any part of me off the gym floor! Of course, a pull-up was out of the question; I could barely hang onto the bar.
Then there was the time that at lunch all the boys were having arm wrestling contests. I knew better than to even think about that! Then Gary Mitsui, a small thin Japanese boy, came and challenged me and I accepted. It was my only such contest so I gave it all I had. It was a long struggle but finally he prevailed. Then he shared with me the intelligence that I was the only guy in the school he could beat! I rest my case.
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By the autumn of 1961, as a junior at South High School in Salt Lake City, Utah, I had improved considerably. I had worked hard to improve my physical strength as I prepared to earn the Personal Fitness Merit Badge which was required to become a Life Scout. I had passed the requirements from the 1958 Boy Scout Handbook (p. 498-500) of swimming 100 yards, doing 18 push-ups, 7 pull-ups, and 45 sit-ups.
The last requirement was to run a mile in 7½ minutes. I had never run a mile. But my 440-dash time had improved to 66 seconds which put me now about in the middle of the class. So what could so be so hard about running around the track four times instead of one?
On the appointed Saturday morning I rode my bike a few miles and met the merit badge counselor at the track of Granite High School. After reviewing all of the other requirements we got right down to running the mile. I had full confidence I could do it. The only question was the required time, but 7½ minutes seemed like plenty of time. After all, I had run the quarter-mile in just over a minute.
After one and a half laps I was so nauseated that I began vomiting and could not continue! That long walk across the grassy field to the counselor was the longest walk I remember taking in my life! I had totally failed. I not only would never be an Eagle Scout (which was out of the question because it involved rescuing an adult from drowning), but now I'd never even be a Life Scout! I was devastated and could hardly face him. He had come over on a Saturday morning and I had wasted his time!
After a seeming eternity I got to him and awaited his tongue-lashing. To my dismay, what he said seemed even worse! "Don't worry about it. Maybe you weren't warmed up enough. Just wait a few minutes and try it again."
Was he serious? What was he thinking?? I was exhausted and half-dead and he wanted me to try again?? Was he wanting to torture me? I was in such shock, I couldn't respond. But he had given up his morning, so the least I could do was to try again. I tried to catch my breath and waited about ten minutes.
I started again and had learned to take it more slowly at first. I decided that's why they give you so much time. I made it through one lap and then two without any sign of nausea. Then to my astonishment the third lap was completed. I had just been trying to survive up to that point, but by the time half of the last lap was done I realized I could sprint and would probably need to in order to make the time. I gave it all I had an crossed the finish line about 15 seconds early!!
This was a great lesson to me. The coach had known more about what I was capable of than I did even though he had just met me. I trusted him and learned not to give up and was rewarded with success!