Scott Rider was the fastest middle-distance runner I ever saw race in person. The 1978 Hilliard graduate won two Big Ten titles in the 800 meters at Ohio State and was the guy you wanted with the baton on the last leg of almost any relay.
Coming off the final turn, it was, “Watch out, here comes Rider.”
That speed alarm now serves as a warning to be wary. Rider is 56 years old, but I awkwardly treat him like my 87-year-old mother, offering a steady hand as he approaches steep stairs.
“I’ll be fine,” he insists.