THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411180162
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY CHRISTINE M. POINTS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
At 8 years old, Bob Streater III was told he might never walk again. A fire accident in which he sustained third-degree burns on both legs left him unable to straighten them despite numerous operations and skin grafts.
``Just to survive the trauma alone of a third-degree burn at such a young age is a miracle,'' Streater said. ``Another miracle that I thank God for is just the ability to walk. At one point, my legs were so bent that I had to wear braces.''
Streater, now 35, ran in the sixth annual Race with Jim Ryun and Family sponsored by Regent University and the Tidewater Striders. The event, in which more than 500 runners participated, benefits Regent University's Student Emergency Fund - established to provide emergency financial assistance to needy students and their families.
``I guess my interest in running came about in middle school,'' said Streater, who finished first in the 35-39 division at 18:17. ``I was very shy, very sensitive about showing my legs. My gym coach told me I had to put on my shorts and run, and after my race I could put on my long pants. I never ran so fast in my life.''
Streater credits Ryun with inspiring him to race.
``I can just remember lying there and watching him run and thinking that someday I'd be able to do that,'' said Streater. ``You know, I'm here today racing with the person who inspired me to race, it's just incredible.''
Ryun, a three-time Olympic runner and former world-record holder in both the mile and 880, has participated in The Race since it's inception in 1989.
``Bill Cook, a former director of admissions for Regent, invited me to join the race,'' said Ryun, 47, who describes himself as a born-again Christian. ``I prayed on it and believed it was the right thing to do. He had a vision for a family race that would help students in need and thankfully my family and I have been able to be a part of that.''
Ryun's family became involved after the first year.
``Bill asked Jim to bring some of his family with him the second year,'' said Anne Ryun, Jim's wife. ``At that time, our oldest daughter was running for Kansas University and our sons were running for Lawrence High. So, Catherine and I came with Jim and ran. After that, everyone got involved.''
While Jim Ryun admits that running has been an important part of his life, he says that it was not something that he intended to do.
``Running was the last thing I wanted to do, but I got drawn in,'' said Jim Ryun, who in 1965 set a national high school record of 3:55.3 in the mile that still stands.
``Although my children have become involved in running, it was not something that we ever pushed them toward. Anne and I taught them to be individuals and that their identities were in the fact that they were Christians, not Jim Ryun's children.''
Anne Ryun agreed that raising children with a father as famous as Jim Ryun was a challenge.
``I think the most challenging aspect in raising children of anyone famous is to keep it all in perspective,'' she said. ``He is first a husband and a father. And while we didn't shield our children from the whole racing scene, we didn't really participate in it either.''
The Ryuns who come from their home in Lawrence, Kansas to participate in The Race believe that it is a great way to promote the Christian values that they espouse.
``Family is very important to us,'' Anne Ryun said. ``I can't think of anything more wonderful than being out here watching all of the families that are here today, cheering each other on and just being there for each other.''
And inspiring others, like Bob Streater. by CNB