In this long-overdue biography about America's preeminent distance-running coach, author and Vigilante Pat Melgares shares Coach Vigil's tale, not just through the consummate storyteller's own words, but also through those of more than 50 former runners and foes who have been shaped by his presence over a lifetime.
"Chasing Excellence" has been Coach Vigil's mantra for decades, for himself and those he teaches. At age 91, he's as relentless as ever in that quest.
You can learn more in this interview.
Why did you decide to write this book?
Coach Vigil's story is so compelling, certainly as a Coach of elite athletes, but he is an even greater human being. I think it was so important for people to understand who this man is, as a person, and come to know that his was not a life of leisure or privilege. Instead, he has displayed a great deal of human resilience, even into his 90s, to become an icon of Olympic track and field and distance running.
In addition, he has seen and experienced so much in his life, and he is prolific at describing the things he has done in his life. I felt like these many of these stories needed to be captured so that the spirit of Coach Vigil would be with us long after he is gone.
What is Coach Vigil's ongoing impact on Olympic running?
I think his athletes and coaching colleagues say it best. Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi talks about Coach's belief in him helped to instill the importance of "the nine inches above the shoulder," or the mental component of being great. 2021 Olympian Abdi Abhirahgman (a four-time Olympian) says that Coach Vigil is "the coach of every distance runner of my generation. We all have our own coaches, but Coach Vigil is the one we all share."
Among coaching colleagues, Lance Harter -- the legendary coach of the Arkansas women's cross country and track and field programs -- says: "I think the summation of Coach Vigil is that he is a coaches' coach, and there are very few of those in the business. The ultimate compliment that any coach has is that you have a go-to person -- and we call those mentors. But then you have a person like Coach Vigil, who is a step ahead of the vast majority of coaches in the United States. As developing coaches, if we need someone as a go-to, Coach Vigil is that person."
While the number of athletes he works with might have decreased in recent years, he continues to coach a handful of athletes with Olympic aspirations, as well as mentor the coaches of many other athletes. His influence, whether through his dynamic personality or his writings, help to guide the path for many U.S. runners and coaches.
What is Coach Vigil's best piece of advice?
That's a tough one! Not sure there is just one, but there are four axioms that I think represent what he stands for:
1) "Live like a poor man and don't let your mind go to seed." He often uses this saying to indicate that you should live simply and study something every day. Learn something new. There's always someone smarter than you in some area. Even at 91 years old, he gets up at 4 a.m. every day and reads in his home office.
2) Always work to get better at what you do. I think this is the essence of Chasing Excellence. Coach Vigil has been Chasing Excellence from the day he stepped into his first teaching and coaching position at Alamosa High School in 1955. Some -- most? -- would say he has caught it, but Coach Vigil would say there is always a way to get better if you believe in what you. He would also say that when you're excited about what you're doing, it is not work but rather it energizes him to find out something new that he might be able to use to help someone out. He is ever-learning and ever-sharing.
3) Be compassionate toward others. Everyone has some struggle in their life. The kind word you give to them might be what they needed that day to do something great, or maybe even to go on living. Coach Vigil is just as kind to a person of little means as he might be to a person of higher stature. In fact, because of his upbringing in poverty, he is likely more drawn to people who may appear on the surface to have less influence in life.
4) Be humble in all you do. When I asked Coach Vigil for the opportunity to write this book, he responded: "Who would want to read about me? I'm just a broken-down old distance coach." A skeptic who has never met Coach might thing he was being facetious. But it doesn't take long after meeting Coach even for the first time to understand what a humble person he is. I often tell people that if he walked into a room you were in today, and you had never met him, the conversation you would have would be very comfortable. You would likely not know who he was, but he would almost immediately begin asking your name, what you do, who your family is. He is so locked in to meeting people and finding what makes them excited, that it seemingly never dawns on him that they might be interested in what he does. Stature means very little to Coach Vigil; having friends, helping people and giving is what makes him excited and keeps him working at age 91.
Is there anything we can all learn from Coach Vigil?
In my opinion, we can all learn that we're here to make our world a better place. No matter how successful we think we are in our own professions, our own lives, we will live more happily if we maintain a commitment to helping others.
Anything else you'd like to add?
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