Faster Quarter-mile in Women's Track

It was the fastest quarter-mile ever run in the history of women’s track.

And it happened that very first Resurrection morning. 

Just tenths-of-a-second over 00:45 it still stands.  Had Sports Illustrated been published then they’d have made front cover.  Theirs was a miracle, a true-life made-for-TV triumph long, long “before science invaded every nook and cranny of athletics, before there were computerized training programs and peak-performance diets.”[i]

And no coach ever uttered more motivating – or briefer - words before the big event; before the stadium was entered; before stepping onto the track.  In what just takes seconds to say, starting-blocks were made unnecessary, stretching and pre-race hydrating superfluous, sports psychology immaterial.

That early morning time-slot pre-start speech was to become the greatest understatement.

Ever.

“Go quickly and tell.”

Mary gathered her skirts about as her sandaled-feet became a blur of motion, a red-cloud of Palestinian dust billowing behind as she, with “the other Mary” – a close second - flew down the path from the empty tomb to where the huddled and fearful disciples were gathered a half-mile away.

They never made it.

Someone called out their names. 

It was a voice they recognized. 

The skid-marks from the furrows dug by the women’s sandals would still be visible today but for the countless pilgrimages to the scene of the greatest event – and most astounding truth - in human history.   

“He is not here.  He is risen.  As he said.”

[i] “The Last River”, Todd Balf