A Star – Just Beyond the Horizon

Rimas Gedeika, a marathon runner, is a regular contributor to BRIDGES and an avid Lithuanian sports enthusiast, especially track and field.

A year to go and the excitement is building rapidly. Soon the world's greatest athletes will meet in Sydney, Australia to compete for the title of Olympic Champion. To date, we have seen and heard about some of the accomplishments of several Lithuanian athletes. Each of their stories depicts courage, determination, and that never give up spirit. Here is yet another story of a truly remarkable young Lithuanian woman long distance runner named Inga Juodeskiene.

Inga was born 27 years ago in Kaunas. Like many other gifted athletes, her running talents brought her recognition at an early age. From age 14 on, she won many races, was selected to many Lithuanian National Teams. In 1988, at the age of 17, she became Soviet Union's Junior Champion in the 1500 meters.

Inga Juodeskiene at the Ireland 1998 World Armed Forces Cross Country Championships. Representing Lithuania and her battalion — the Jegerio Batalionas at the closing ceremonies.

In the early 1990's, Inga met Raimondas Juodeskis, married him, and within a few years had three lovely children. They lived happily ever after – as they say.

Ah, but her story does not end here! What happened next is truly inspirational. Inga, after giving birth to her three children (the youngest one a year ago), returned to her other great love, running. Within a year's time, she regained much of her earlier form.

In 1998, Inga won several races throughout Europe. In the Lithuanian Track and Field Championships, she won first place in the 1500 and 3000 meters. Her return was exceedingly exceptional.

What is even more unusual about Inga is that she is a soldier in one of Lithuania's finest army units: the Jegerio Batalionas, whose mission and structure are very similar to America's Special Forces. This past March, Inga represented her Battalion in the World Armed Forces Cross Country Championships (running 3.1 miles through hills, woods, and even streams), which were held in Ireland. Being far from top form, she nevertheless took 8th place among the world's best women soldiers. Based on this performance, Inga was invited to participate in next year's Championships which will be held in Florida, February 22 to 27.

Inga and her three children.

Besides training for next year's Championships, Inga is also training to qualify to represent Lithuania in the Olympic Games in either the 1500 or 3000 meters, or even the Marathon. To be able to simultaneously juggle her military obligations, her family obligations, and still be able to train at an elite level requires a great deal of dedication, courage, guts, and love. Inga has managed to do this well.

To date, Inga has been training mostly in Lithuania. This is OK, but to reach the next level of performance, she has to train at high altitudes. It has been clearly demonstrated that high altitude training is more beneficial and more efficient than merely running high mileage. This would not be a problem if Lithuania was mountainous, but it isn't. So, to train at high altitudes, Inga must travel outside Lithuania.

It was primarily through Arvydas Barzdukas and his son's, Audrius's, efforts that Joseph Vigil, one of the world's foremost long distance running coaches, agreed to accept Inga into his training camp. The camp is located in Alamosa, Colorado and is 7,000 feet above sea level. It is here that Vigil has trained the world's best long distance runners from Kenya, Nigeria, Europe and the U.S.. His runners have attained phenomenal success, winning many of the world's most prestigious long distance races; anywhere from six miles to the marathon, both on the track and on the road.

Inga receiving her gold medal in the 1998 Lithuanian National Track and Field Championships in the 3000 meters.

Inga is the first Lithuanian runner to be accepted into such a world class training camp. She is scheduled to attend Vigil's camp from the first week of January 1999 until three days before her Armed Forces Cross Country Championships in February.

Being the first runner from Lithuania to be accepted to train with the world's best runners is a great privilege but, at the same time, it carries with it a considerable amount of responsibility. For a month and a half, Inga will be closely watched not only by Joe Vigil's staff but, also by the Lithuanian Track and Field Federation. They will see if she has the physical and mental strength to complete the rigorous training schedule set forth by Joe Vigil. Is training at high altitudes beneficial to Lithuanian runners?

Inga's undertaking is a pioneering effort on behalf of Lithuania's runners. If she does well, she will have demonstrated to the Federation that training at high altitudes produces equally high results. Thus, it will not be a waste of time and money to finance a group of qualified runners to undertake the same or similar high altitude training in 1999. Such a move will give these runners a better chance to compete against their opponents in the Olympic Games.

Inga is a courageous, mentally tough competitor. She will always give you her best. She is able to handle all the challenges that will be thrown at her by Joe Vigil and the Armed Forces Cross Country Course. Yet the one challenge she will not be able to overcome by herself is the same challenge that confronts all the other Lithuanian runners – financial support.

Inga is very fortunate that in her case she is receiving both financial and moral support from her battalion. The Jegerio Batalionas is paying for her trip to America and back. It can't cover all of her expenses. We are hoping that after reading this article, some of you may give Inga a hand and help us cover her living and training expenses which would be close to $1,000. If you want to help Inga, mail your donations to Inga Juodeskis, c/o Rimas Gedeika, 78 Mark Twain Drive, Hamilton Square, NJ 08690.