29 Jan 2004 PTCRC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE RONNIE GODWIN
Ronnie was a charter member of the PTC Running Club. He served as the Vice President of the club in 1983 and the President of the Club in 1984. He was also the Classic Race Director in 1984. Ronnie died of cancer in 1986. Ronnie is survived by his wife Pat and their children Joey and Tracey.
In addition to the leadership role he played in the early years of the PTC Running Club, Ronnie was also the first to develop an interest in Triathlons. According to other early club members, Ronnie would work all night (he was a mechanic and pre-flight inspector at Delta), come home and spend time with the kids before school, and then train during the day, catching power naps when he could. Ronnie was the first member of the club to reach the Hawaii Iron Man competition, although he inspired many others to follow in his footsteps.
A quote from the PTC Running Club newsletter of August, 1984 said a lot about Ronnie Godwin. “He was a great leader and ‘Iron Man,’ who competed in the Iron Man Triathlon on the big island of Hawaii. But Ronnie was much more than an Iron Man. He was always full of encouragement and good advice for beginning runners and bikers. One day, on his first long bike ride with other people in our club, a newcomer was bringing up the rear and struggling to keep up. Ronnie came back to help him and told him to put it in fifth gear and stay close on his tail. Ronnie drafted the newcomer past half the group and really lifted his spirits. That’s the kind of guy he was.”
Ronnie is the namesake for the Ronnie Godwin Memorial Scholarships that we give to graduating seniors in Fayette County every year. Those scholarships began with the graduating class of 1987 and have benefited dozens of young athletes since then. Our club currently presents a total of 16 scholarships a year, at four different high schools, in his name. They are awarded to college-bound athletes who have been standouts in cross country or track and field. More than 20 years after his death, Ronnie continues to inspire people to push themselves to achievements they didn’t think possible. A finer legacy is not possible.