30 Comments
User's avatar
Blue's avatar

Nice to meet you Carlos what an inspiring story

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thank you Blue.

Rosalie Chan's avatar

so inspiring!! love how you run with your grandchildren too!

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Running with my grandchildren is a great honor for me and having a common interest is great too.

They tell their teammates all about my running too. It’s fun to talk with the teammates after their races. My favorite sport, Cross Country, is about to start.

Jim Gilroy's avatar

Love this! Great story.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thank you, Jim. We're barely just beginning.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thanks Terrell for giving me the opportunity to share the story of my granddaughter and me. I’m very excited for her and everything she’s accomplished along with the joys my children and other grandchildren have brought and will bring as they grow. The questions you posed were great too, they helped me recall those beautiful days past.

Diana M. Wilson's avatar

I LOVED this interview! And especially these lines: "To me, a marathon seemed humanly impossible. That changed at age 50 when I finally took up running seriously. Now, 17 years and 38 marathons later, I am proof that anyone can redefine what is possible."

Go, Carlos! And thanks, T! Great interview

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thank you Diana, I liked the questions and how they made me think back to days gone by.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

I’m working on a Wikipedia page that is currently in draft mode, being reviewed by Wikipedia staff for accuracy. Hopefully soon they will approve it and the “Draft:” mode will be dropped. For now, you can scroll down past the review notes for the main content.

It highlights our Boston Marathon history-making journey.

https://bit.ly/sanchez-wikipedia

John Maynard's avatar

Super inspiring! When I'm 67, I hope I can rip fast marathons like Carlos, too.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thank you John, I can tell you that it is very doable. Having my grandchildren inspire me helps a bunch too.

John Maynard's avatar

You have a terrific story - congratulations!

Terrell Johnson's avatar

I know, right? There are so many things about Carlos’s story that left an impression, but that alone is amazing!!

'Q''s avatar

Loved this. I was impressed by the multiple BQ times, and that Snr Sanchez got to co-run alongside his granddaughter for her first Marathon... 🥰#inspiring

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Getting a BQ was not a focus for me for so long, it seemed reserved for superhumans. Coaching made the difference.

BQing along with my granddaughter was an amazing feeling, I am so proud of her. Then actually running in Boston, I’m still riding high from that experience. During her Harvard graduation, former CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, highlighted our Boston experience. See video here-> https://youtu.be/LMsZw9c9oAI

This reminds me of this exchange between American Olympic Marathon gold medalist Frank Shorter and his friend Kenny Moore after the 1972 Munich Olympic marathon…

The day after the race, Kenny Moore told Shorter, “All this time I thought the Olympic champion was somebody incredibly special.”

Frank Shorter looked at him and said, “And then you found out—it was only me.”

I feel a little bit like Frank Shorter, then I too got a BQ, it was only me.

Charles Zuckerman's avatar

I love the role you play in your kids and grand kids lives as much as the role they play in yours. I also love the stadium in Athens. What a place to finish a marathon. Just running a couple of laps there is fantastic. For anyone going to Athens, that stadium is open to the public (entry fee), has a small museum for the olympics, and invites people to run a few laps.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Finishing the marathon in the Panathenaic Stadium was exciting, one of the highlights of finishing the Athens Marathon. I ran in the outer rim of the stadium a few times too. It was built of marble for the first modern day Olympics in 1896.

David Weinstock's avatar

In the Star Trek-TOS episode “Amok Time”, Spock said to a Vulcan, “Logical, flawlessly logical.” To paraphrase, Carlos’ story is inspirational, truly inspirational.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

You’re making me laugh bad David. I like your paraphrasement.

Mike Moran's avatar

Loved hearing your story, Carlos. I'm almost 67 (October) and also started a bit later in life (age 40), but what absolutely amazes me is that you are getting FASTER as you get older. Incredible. God bless and good luck, and enjoy those runs with your grandkids! Priceless.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

October? With so much newness during that month, it’s my favorite. I was born on the 18th, we’re almost twinsies.

Terrell Johnson's avatar

Same here! (And happy almost birthday, Mike! 🎂)

Edith Zimmerman's avatar

Wonderful.

Edith Zimmerman's avatar

Wasn't in the mood to tear up, but I guess you can't plan these things.

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Edith, I too got a few tears as I responded and remembered those moments. Thank you.

Terrell Johnson's avatar

I did the same thing, fwiw

Clark Rose's avatar

Loved every single paragraph and your advice to your younger self is remarkable. Thanks for sharing it all right from your heart Carlos. ♥️👣♥️

Carlos Sanchez's avatar

Thank you. Writing this was fun and it brought back fond memories from those younger days. I live 360 miles from South Texas and go there often to visit family. In fact, we’re heading over tomorrow for a celebration. Well, every day we’re there is a celebration.

Terrell Johnson's avatar

I loved that part too!