I started doing endurance sports in 1997, primarily just local running races. A few years later, in 2001, I added a few more activities to my list of those in which I participated – standalone swim and bike races as well as triathlons and duathlons. The events themselves were fun and challenging. As is usually the case, what made the activities much more enjoyable were the people I met along the way.
I became friends with a number of people whose paths I would have never crossed. In many instances, I forged lifelong friendships with my fellow competitors.
One of those individuals was Jerry Ban of Lumber City. I don’t remember exactly when I met Jerry. He was probably in his late 60s, maybe even early 70s. Jerry, I believe, was retired by that time. He was one of the nicest, most genuine people I had ever met. The first thing that struck me about Jerry was his demeanor. When I spoke with him, I felt like I was speaking to a family member. He always smiled. He asked about my family. He wanted to know about my training and what races I planned to do.
I didn’t see Jerry very often – usually only at races (we did a lot of the same events) or when he and his wife, Jeanette, came to the South Georgia State College pool. She would read a book while Jerry swam. On the way home, 15 or 20 miles from their house, she would drop him off and he would ride his bike the rest of the way home.
Jerry was a dedicated family man, a person of devout faith, and someone who worked hard all his life and gave everything he had to whatever he was doing. He put others above himself and made sure the people around him had what they needed before he tended to himself.
But behind that gentle demeanor was a fierce competitor. When he stepped to the start line of a race, he was all business. As Jerry aged into new age groups, his dedication to his sport intensified. He placed on the podium of his age group in nearly every face he completed. Most of the time, he won first place. He had a humorous side as well and he would say more than once, “When you get to be my age, you don’t have to be fast. You’ve just got to finish.” There may have been an element of truth to his self-deprecating statements but Jerry was more than just a finisher – he could hold his own and he beat a lot of people much younger than he was.
Around 2010, when Jerry was 76 years old, he qualified for and competed in the Sprint Triathlon World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He won a bronze medal in the 750 meter swim/20 kilometer bike/5 kilometer run event.
Sadly, Jerry passed away on December 12, 2024, at the age of 90. His was a life well lived and a legacy well deserved. Saturday morning at the Lumber City Methodist Church, the Lumber City Womans Club is hosting the Jerry Ban Memorial Run & Breakfast. The event is a one-mile run that begins at 7:30 a.m. followed by a 5K run at 8 a.m. A $10 breakfast will be served at 7 a.m.
I am going to do the race. I am not in very good shape. I have never been fast but I am certainly much farther away from being fast than I used to be. But I will be able to finish the race without embarrassing myself too much – I think. I plan to be on the start line Saturday morning. Even though Jerry won’t be there, every participant will know he is watching from above and will draw inspiration from his presence.
Jerry Ban was a good man. He will be on my mind Saturday morning. If you’re a runner or a walker, come over to Lumber City Saturday and join in. Even if you didn’t know Jerry, you’ll feel like you did by the time you cross the finish line. I was saddened to learn of his passing. I remain saddened to this day.
Please join me on Saturday in honoring of the best men this area has ever produced. You will probably beat me. If Jerry were racing, he probably would, too.