Coach Pierce believes running marathons and teaching have many parallels - determination , preparation and the will to never quit .
Story by Julie Zwahr
Photo courtesy of WFAA and Julie Zwahr
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Ryan ’ s Marathon Man
Coach applies same philosophy to running as classroom
It can be said that a few kind words shared at a pivotal time when a student is young and impressionable can make a lasting imprint on a person , even change their life . That is what happened to Ryan High School ’ s assistant track and cross country coach Keith Pierce when he tried running track in the eighth grade in Childress , Texas .
In December , Mr . Pierce , 36 , won the BMW Dallas Marathon . It was only his 16th marathon to run and his sixth win with a time of 2:29:27 .
“ I ’ ll never forget the first time I won a one mile race , Coach ( Phillip ) Rhodes , the Childress High School track coach , came up to me and said , ‘ Wow ! You don ’ t even look tired ’ and that really resonated with me ,” said Mr . Pierce . “ I really liked Coach , and when he said that I think that really lit my fire to run competitively .”
After running cross country for Coach Rhodes in high school , Mr . Pierce earned a college scholarship and ran track at Rice University . It was there that he decided to become a teacher .
“ There ’ s a direct parallel between marathon running and education ,” said Mr . Pierce . “ You have days when you are working with teenagers that you can get down , and want to give up . I think about running in the BMW Dallas Marathon at mile 15 I really wanted to give up and quit . I feel that way at the end of a school year , I ’ m really tired but I push myself to never give up on any of our kids .”
Mr . Pierce runs on average 10 miles a day , between a ‘ wind down ’ run after work and running alongside the Ryan High Cross Country team . He said he ’ s not always in training , trying to fit in a longer run here and there between class prep for his social studies , government and U . S . History classes .
His other waking moments are spent with his wife , Stephanie , and their five-year-old triplets – sons Keegan and Ashton and daughter Presley .
“ The first student that congratulated me after the win in Dallas said ‘ Congratulations Coach , but you know that wasn ’ t your best time , right ?” said Mr . Pierce . “ I laughed and said , you know what ? You ’ re right . And it ’ s interactions like that keep me going .”
Ryan High ’ s Keith Pierce wins the BMW Dallas Marathon , his sixth career win . Photo courtesy of WFAA