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Two Runners! Two Books! A Wealth of Insight and Experience
Plan to attend a one-of-a-kind ‘book reading’ event at 7:30 pm on November 20th at Forerunners Main Street (3889 Main Street, Vancouver) .
Two former Canadian middle distance runners, recently published books on their track and life experiences. Leading off the evening, will be world renowned athlete and academic, Dr. Bruce Kidd, Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto. He will hand off to Jerry Bouma formerly from Owen Sound, Ontario and the first Canadian to attend Villanova University at a time when it was home to some of the best milers and middle-distance runners in the world.
This unique event is a runner’s dream. Both authors bring a depth of experience, insight, and most importantly great stories! Together they combine years of high-level competitions, differing circumstances, and unique challenges. They both share a deep passion for track & field and how the sport dramatically impacted their lives.
Dr. Bruce Kidd, Professor Emeritus, a renowned athlete, Olympian, professor, political activist, and major thought leader in the world of sport, will set the stage. In the 1960s, Bruce was the first teenage track & field wonderkid, breaking records that caught the attention of the international sporting world. Kidd was named the Canadian Press Athlete of the Year in 1961 and 1962 and awarded the 1961 Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s country’s outstanding athlete.
Winner of the Commonwealth Games 6-mile in 1962, and an Olympian competing in the 10,000 meters in 1964, Bruce paved the way for such runners as Jim Ryun, the first high schooler miler to break 4 minutes, and Gerry Lindgren, the teenage sensation who became USA’s top three miler as an 18-year-old. Bruce’s book, “A Runners Journey” is just that: his journey as an athlete, policy analyst, professor and sport activist dedicated to principles of fairness and social justice. In 2004, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for having “devoted his life to eradicating sexism and racism in sporting communities around the world.”
Jerry Bouma came along in 1970s, breaking Bruce’s junior mile record as well as setting Canadian junior records for both the indoor and outdoor 1500 meters. He was the first Canadian to be awarded an athletic scholarship to Villanova University, which at the time was home to some of the world’s best milers.
Jerry’s book, “The Villanova Track Story” is a detailed inside account of how a small U.S. college produced an incomparable string of world leaders including Ron Delany, Dave Patrick, Marty Liquori, John Hartnett, Eamonn Coghlan, Mark Belger, Don Paige, Sydney Maree and Marcus O’Sullivan. Jerry was an integral part of the Villanova Track Team serving as Co-Captain. In 1975, he was ranked number 1 in Canada for the indoor 1000 meters. Jerry specifically explores a unique piece of track history – the Villanova University Track Team winning the prestigious Penn Relay Distance Medley Relay 16 years in a row – an unmatched winning streak in sports.
Professionally, Jerry has worked as a management consultant in the agri-food sector founding his own firm in 1993. He remained involved in the sport including chairing the Legends of Gold Gala event at the World Athletics Championship, Edmonton 2001, and chairing such events as the Pan-American Junior Championships in 2015; the Canadian Championships in 2015, and the Olympic Trials in 2016. He was awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee medal in 2022.
All book sales and proceeds will go toward charities selected by the authors.
Doors open at 7 pm.