When it comes to Dick Beardsley's name, there's probably no one among marathon enthusiasts who doesn't know who he is. He was a marathon world record holder and his legend has inspired many athletes. However, what people did not know was that this legendary person experienced an even more difficult "marathon" in his later life.
It was after he retired that a series of incredible accidents brought great pain to his body, making him dependent on drugs and falling to the bottom of his life step by step. What force helped him and kept him going. Today, Beardsley is a motivational speaker who has helped more people cross the "marathon" of life and create a second legend in life.
A winning streak that sets a marathon legend
Beardsley, 66, grew up in the small town of Wayzata, west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He and his family now live in Bemidji, Minnea.
In April 1981, he won the first London Marathon, tied for first place with Norway's Oslo runner Inge Simonsen, made headlines, and formed a lifelong friendship with Simonsen.
The London Marathon is the second most annual road race in the UK founded in 1981 by runners Chris Brasher and John Disley.
On June 20, 1981, Beardsley won his first "grandmother marathon" with a world record of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 37 seconds. He held this record for 33 years until it was broken by Kenya's Dominic Ondoro in 2014, setting a new world record in 2:06. On June 19, 1982, Beardsley won the Grandmother Marathon again.
The Grandmother Marathon, which began in 1977 as Beardsley's hometown, has become Minnesota's annual event spanning 26.2 miles, attracting tens of thousands of runners from around the world each year to make BibRave the definitive list of America's best races.
On April 19, 1982, Beardsley ran in the Boston Marathon, finishing second only to world record holder Alberto Salazar. "He ran 2:08:51 and I ran 2:08:52," and "At the time, it was the closest Boston Marathon in history to reach its finish line." ”
The Boston Marathon, which began in 1897 and follows the successful first marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics, has a history of 125 years and is the world's oldest annual marathon.
Beardsley's last race as an elite runner was the Olympic marathon trials held in Jersey City, New Jersey, in April 1988. Late the following fall, he and his ex-wife Mary were taking over a dairy farm near Schaefer, Minnea, when they suffered a bizarre accident that forced him to plummet from his winning streak.
Misfortune is not only a bad life
Recalling the accident, Beardsley said: "I was unloading corn onto a lift when I was suddenly caught in a power take-off shaft. ”
The spinning device ran over Beardsley's body, crushing his right arm, left leg and right ribs. His upper right chest was also pierced by a piece of metal. He barely remembers how he dragged his body back into the yard with a good hand.
After several weeks in the hospital, multiple surgeries, and two weeks after returning home, "my leg was so infected that I could barely save it." More surgeries were done to save the leg.
This accident affected Beardsley's body and mind for a long time. "I couldn't do anything for months, just nightmares one after another." Eventually, the nightmare disappeared, Beardsley's body healed from the immense trauma, and he no longer needed to take prescription medication.
There is a saying in China that "blessing is unmatched, but misfortune is not alone". In July 1992, Beardsley was in a serious car accident and underwent major spine surgery. Shortly after recovery, he was hit by a truck again and underwent surgery again. Then, while hiking, he fell off a cliff.
With each injury, Beardsley gets prescription drugs from his alcoholic parents to help relieve the pain. This way, even if he no longer needs it, he continues to take it. "At that time, it was out of control. I took all kinds of drugs for the cocktail, and by the summer of 1996, I was taking more than 80 to 90 pills a day. ”
He lied to his ex-wife, Mary, that the medicine came from a different doctor. "I stole a prescription book, which allowed me to forge a prescription for myself."
Dick Beardsley is playing guitar and he still runs 6 miles every morning.
Involved in a lawsuit, fate takes a turn
On September 30, 1996, Beardsley was arrested at a pharmacy in Minnesota and handed over to federal narcotics agents. After confessing everything, Beardsley was "relieved" and felt that it was finally over. "I knew the only way I had a chance to get better was to be 100% accountable and take responsibility for my actions." He said.
Due to the sheer volume of medicines, the staff could not believe that they were for private use. Thankfully, Beardsley kept exhaustive records of where he got his prescriptions and when they were used, proving that he never sold any drugs, thus saving him from jail.
He pleaded guilty at the time to one count of violating a Class V controlled substance and was sentenced to five years of probation and 240 hours of community service in 1997, according to The Minnesota Post.
In the following days, he was taken for a 10-day detoxification and began a series of treatment programs.
Quitting drug dependence is a very difficult task. "I've never experienced such pain in my life," he says, "and for the first few weeks of treatment, I kept refusing until one day I suddenly realized that I was a drug addict and I was starting to recover." ”
"Please, God!"
In the early stages of Beardsley's treatment, he felt so much pain that if he had a saw, he would sawed off his arms and legs to alleviate the pain. But he insisted on forcing himself to attend group meetings. He was determined to learn to help him recover.
"One morning, I crawled on the floor, tried to go to a group meeting, and passed out... When I woke up, lying in my own vomit. Remember when I looked up and said, 'God, please, either take me away or make me better.'" He said. That night, Beardsley took a good nap for the first time.
The progress he made in treatment was spared by the judge for his hefty fine, requiring him to complete 200 hours of community service and talk about his detoxification experience. From initial humiliation, the former runner quickly transformed the platform into an opportunity to redeem himself and help others. He became a motivational speaker and wrote a book, Stay the Course.
However, the doom did not end. On October 4, 2015, Beardsley's son Andy, an Iraq war veteran, suddenly committed suicide at the age of 31. This time, God helped him again.
"I can never completely shake the pain of losing my son, it's not what I really want, in fact I talk to him every day to comfort, it brings me joy, peace and comfort, because I know that one day I will hold him in my arms again and give him a big hug." "If I could prevent others from dying by sharing Andy's death with others, I would aim for that." ”
Motivational speech "Never give up!"
Beardsley hadn't used drugs since February 12, 1997, and he never thought about using drugs to numb the pain of losing Andy. Even after several surgeries — including back surgery and two knee replacements — Beardsley and his current wife, Jill, made a sweeping plan: Jill collected his prescriptions, supplied his country's prescribed doses, and always carried them with him.
For the past 25 years, the former marathon champion has never stopped as a motivational speaker – traveling the world sharing his story. Beardsley was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 2010. Today, he still runs 6 miles a morning, works as a fishing guide for his company, Dick Beardsley Fishing Guide Service, and runs Lake Bemidji Bed and Breakfast with his wife.
"Jill does all the work and I'm her Sherpa (porter)." He said.
When Beardsley looks back on his life, he is grateful for those good times. "When I wake up in the morning, I try to have a smile on my face, a warm word, a joy in my heart and confidence in my soul," he said. These four things have helped me through many difficult times. ”
"Never give up!" Especially for those struggling with addiction, he said, "never give up, even if you need to be treated ten times or more." You will definitely return to your normal life and it will be better than ever. ”