THE DR. JOHN P. WILLIAMS AWARD

Presented in memory of Dr. John P. Williams to the Tely 10 participant who has inspired others through enthusiastic and spirited participation in the annual Telegram 10 Mile Road Race.

2023 Winner of the Dr. John P. Williams Award – Dennis Flynn

This year’s nomination included a totally appropriate quote… it’s all about the spirit of this award.

“Regardless of where they place in the standings, people trying something new or difficult or reaching a personal milestone are to always be celebrated and acknowledged. We may travel alone at times on a given course, but we are all running the same race. That is really winning, no matter what the clock or the final results say.”

It’s what the Tely is all about… and is the essence of this award.

This year’s winner – Dennis Flynn - is not only a runner but is someone who writes extensively about running – his work celebrates senior runners, adventure racing, remarkable local athletes, and various unique running and sporting events provincially. He’s been nationally recognized for that writing, in fact.

Apparently, when he’s not running, he’s quite an accomplished powerlifter and photographer as well. Impressive.

He is a long-term participant in an incredibly wide range of races from the ANE Mile to the Provincial Marathon; from 5 KM road races to 50 KM Ultramarathons on coastal trails and everything in between. He has also cycled across Labrador, the Newfoundland Railway bed, and Ireland too – this is a man on the move! He has participated in over 260 races including: 17 Tely Tens; Six Marathons, Nine 50 KM trail running Ultramarathons; and, yup, he’s done the incredibly challenging Cape to Cabot Race 13 times!!

He’s a self-described “middle to back of the pack runner” who enjoys every step and sees it all as a gift. There are many who have it much worse off and he sees it is a true joy and privilege to run, no matter how fast or how far, that can’t be forgotten. Dennis is a tireless encourager of others along any route and can usually be seen at some point in almost any event with a smile on his face and a kind word for the volunteers or other runners who may be struggling or are new to the sport or the course.

He is always extremely quick to acknowledge that he had a very unlikely and inauspicious start, and participating in sports did not look to be in his future. A number of leg surgeries as a young child left him starting school small, shy, frail, and with a pronounced limp. Sports eluded him. While he tried out for all available sports and the kids and coaches were always nice, he failed to make any team, from hockey to softball, to basketball, to volleyball and anything in between. Until Grade eight. That is when a truly inspirational Physical Education teacher, Robert “Bob” Alcock (a great runner who himself completed the Tely Ten many times over the years), was starting up a new cross country team and included him. This was despite the fact that he would be running primarily against much older, faster, and stronger senior high school students. He was told, “You are welcome on my team as long as you want. I’ll tell you something I hope will help you now and down the road. Ignore it if you go to events at other schools or places in the future and anyone criticizes you for being small or slow or points out flaws about your form or your technique. Don’t worry about it. Thank them for the advice and smile, and you just keep safely and comfortably doing whatever works best for you at your own pace. I have been watching, and you are not here because of your ability. You are here because of your attitude. You are not the type of person who will necessarily win a lot of races, but I believe you definitely are the type of person who will certainly cross a lot of finish lines. That is about heart and will be much more important in the long run.”

It was a message he never forgot and always pays back in terms of positive encouragement to others. He consistently promotes and celebrates the accomplishments of other runners and remarkable athletes in person at events, in his writing, and on social media. He pays tribute to that wise guidance he got decades ago.

“If I can do it, then you can do it too” is his guiding philosophy. Few things make him happier than seeing someone finish a race for the first time or reach a challenging goal they have set for themselves.

And that is why Dennis Flynn is the 2023 winner of the Tely 10’s Dr. John P. Williams award.

To be eligible for this award, the candidate:

• must have participated in the Tely 10 road race at least once
• must have specifically motivated others to participate in the Tely 10, either by walking or running or as a wheelchair participant
• must by participation in the Tely 10 have inspired and motivated others to become physically active

The candidate may be someone who:

• began regular exercise at an advanced age
• overcame a serious emotional or physical challenge in life
• or began exercising while recovering from a serious or life-threatening illness

Submission deadline

• Nominations must be sent to Patricia Williams by Monday, June 10, 2024.
• Please send the nomination via email in Microsoft Word format or Portable Document Format (PDF). Please ensure that the following information is submitted along with the nomination:
  1. Nominee
     • Name
     • Address
     • City/Town
     • Province & Postal Code
     • Telephone
  2. Nominator
     • Name
     • Address
     • City/Town
     • Province & Postal Code
     • Telephone
     • E-mail
  3. Reason for the nomination
  4. Date & Signature of Nominator

Nominations

• Candidates for this award may be nominated by any Tely 10 participant or a member of the Organizing Committee.
• All nominations will be carefully considered and voted on by a Selection Committee with the winner decided by majority vote.