Page 10 - Senior Link Magazine Spring 2021- Online Magazine

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Don Kinder
Footsteps to Follow
H fennel seeds?”
“ ave you ever heard of
Most seventeen-year-olds might
be caught off guard by such a
random start to a conversation. In a
conversation with my grandfather,
Don Kinder – or Papa, as I know
him – such questions are perfectly
normal. Papa loves Jesus. He loves
his family and his country. He
loves to study and learn as much
as possible about a wide variety
of subjects. He is always learning,
always looking for a way to improve
himself - spirit, mind, and body.
On this occasion, I was in the middle
of my final cross-country season.
My grandfather, also a runner and
a fitness and nutrition enthusiast,
has a vast storehouse of knowledge
related to nutrition and physical
performance. Fennel seeds, he told
me, have an extremely high nitrate
concentration for their size. Nitrates,
he went on, help to dilate the blood
vessels, allowing for increased
blood flow. “So,” he concluded,
“I thought you might want to try
eating a few fennel seeds before your
race.” Knowing that my grandfather
always does his research, I trusted
him instantly and bought some for
my next race. In eight seasons, I
had never won a cross-country race
before. I finished first that weekend –
the weekend I ate fennel seeds.
Papa has been an inspiration to
me throughout my life. His love
of God permeates everything he
does and comes out in most any
conversation, and his knowledge of
scripture has helped strengthen my
own convictions. His agile mind has
stored countless scriptures in his
memory. Likewise, his description
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sprint relays. When they started
implementing their new strategy,
they destroyed their competition.
They would sometimes win by
100 meters because their handoffs
shaved off so much time. These days,
400-meter relay teams everywhere
by Ash Bumstead pass the baton in the same way my
of aerospace engineering – his major wasn’t actually the first one to run
grandfather’s team did. While I’m
sure the Denver City track team
in college – is what first caused in such a way, I like to think that my
grandfather had a part to play in
engineering to catch my attention.
Now, as I head to college, planning developing what is now the standard
to major in engineering, I remember technique. Today, I reap the rewards
back to when I was first intrigued by as I, too, have had the chance to be
the concept. Papa had presented me a part of the state 400-meter relay
with a book of planes. As I flipped competition.
through the pages, he could tell me
the name and unique characteristics While I never saw Papa’s athleticism
of each aircraft that flashed before in a competitive environment, I
my eyes. I was fascinated, and it was have been amazed by his incredible,
his knowledge and enthusiasm that lifelong commitment to health
first sparked my interest! and fitness. His pantry is like a
small health-food store, and his
Our common ground is not limited to concoctions, recipes, and nutritional
faith and engineering. In high school, regimens are legendary to all
in Denver City, he took part in many who know him. His dedication
activities including football and to a healthy diet is an important
track. Having seen his athleticism as contributor to the excellent physical
I’ve grown up, I have no doubt that condition he enjoys. When I go to
he was a gifted competitor at my age. his house, he shows me the new
He was part of a widely celebrated stretches he has learned and tells
state champion football team as well me which muscles are engaged. One
as a part of a state-level 4x400m stretch that boggles my mind is his
relay team. Because I was on a state one-legged squat. He will stick his
championship team in basketball, I other leg out in multiple different
like to think that ways to stretch
he has passed the different muscles,
torch on to me. all while keeping his
balance. I tried to
He told me that, follow his example
during his high and try the stretch,
school track but I simply could
days, no one ever not keep my balance
used running and sit all the way
exchanges for down on one foot
the 4x400-meter at the same time.
relay. One day, Although I am fairly
as he was talking nimble and athletic,
with his three there are times that
teammates, they Papa completely
realized it would one-ups me, even
be much more though I am about
efficient to execute fifty years younger.
the handoff
in stride like I have witnessed
runners do in the determination and