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Every four years, when I watch the Olympics, I marvel at the speed, desire and time a human being can reach in running a 100-meter race, which determines who is the "fastest in the world" at that moment, or until another speedster takes over the reign.

Of course I'm not overlooking all the great accomplishments of the world's best athletes in their respective summer-games' sports, with United States "superman" swimmer Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals leading the way. But, being a lifelong athlete who was fortunate enough to possess all-around coordination, quick reactions and, most of all, speed, I can't help but zero in on that magic track-racing number 100.

Of my athletic ability, it was my speed that helped me excel. As the sports saying I've referred to before goes, "The two things that you can't coach or teach are height and speed - you either have it or you don't." I was the fastest runner throughout my youth and high school years, and in 1969 and '70, before my serious eight-year soccer career took off, I competed in collegiate track and field at Santa Rosa Junior College and, suddenly, I was one of many fast runners.

For the first time in my life, I was not the fastest sprinter on my team - in fact, I was not even the second fastest and I was barely the third.

Still, when a teammate was injured and couldn't sprint in a dual meet, my then SRJC coach Pat Ryan - one of the top jaycee coaches in the state - put me into our team's third slot for the 100-yard (back in the pre-metric days) dash. At the starting line I found myself setting up in my starting blocks in a lane next to a "human jet" named Eddie Hart, who was running for visiting Contra Costa Junior College.

Next thing I know, the gun sounds and before I can take a step Hart was five yards in front of me and the rest of the field and all I could do was watch his strong backside and quick, muscular legs glide him down the track at what seemed like the speed of sound.

Though I was left in the dust, I could only marvel to how fast he was. I finished with a respectable 10.3-second clocking, while he won easily in 9.3 timing. (When I tell this story, some people say that I only lost by one second, but I'm quick to point out that losing by one second in a 100-yard/meter race is like being lapped.)

The moment was etched in my mind and a few years later, Hart - who was a national and worldwide star at the University of California, Berkeley - sprinted to an Olympics relay gold medal after being denied the individual 100 gold because he was, suspiciously, given the wrong starting time and a Russian eventually won.

Still, Hart whipped all the competition - including his Russian foe head-to-head -  running the anchor leg for the United States in the 100 relay.

Having had the chance to be in the same race as Hart was a glowing lifelong sports experience - I had the opportunity to be an eye witness to greatness, though I viewed it, as so many other runners had, from way in the rear.

That is why when I watch the summer Olympics, it's the running of the 100 that gives me "goose-bumps" and sends shivers through my body and mind.

It's an exhilarating feeling to run fast - an amazing physical rush that is hard to describe in words and over the years I have watched world-class dashers continue to lower the world-record, 100-meter time.

During these Olympics in China, I, again, was excitedly stunned - more like incredibly blown away - when Jamaica's Usain Bolt blew past the swift field and posted a mind-boggling world's fastest-ever time of 9.69 seconds (which would be an astounding 8.79 in yards). Watching everyone chase "lightning" Bolt gave me another flashback to being left way in the dust of a world-class sprinter.

Translating the sports moment into everyday life - it doesn't matter where you are, or end up, in the race of life, as long as you don't give up, you will reach the finish line and achieve your goal.

Ciao!

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