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Drake Relays Announcer – Mike Jay and His Way of Paying It Forward
I could’ve sat all afternoon and listened to Mike’s captivating voice and his unique stories! Phenomenal stories collected from years of being a high school track and field and cross country coach at Columbus Junction, as well as the lead announcer for 16 years at the Drake Relays, and having a massive Iowa running culture presence. In fact, Mike told me about his evolution from his time as a runner at Columbus Junction running under Coach Purdy and the irony of how he eventually came to coaching alongside Purdy and evolving into now having 16 years of being our Iowa Drake Relays announcer. What might impress you the most is that Mike still remains a humble and gracious man, who still has a huge heart and undying passion for all things running. Not only does it seem that he’s dedicated his life up to this point to keeping the fire burning for other runners, but hasn’t come up shy for new ways to pay it forward.
Humble Roots
Mike’s stories are genuine and telltale supportive of his humble upbringing and the driving principles that his parents and own coaches drove into him. Principles of “hard work” and just being “good people”. The same principles that he describes during several stories of his own personal heroes found thru the relationships he’s developed with runners and the admiration that he finds and inspires to pay forward.
A few stories of hard working good people that include a self-trained runner and neighbor of Mike’s who is now aspiring to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon, and even an Olympic champion who returned to the Parapan Olympic games to selflessly help a blind 56-year-old woman go after goals of breaking seven minutes in the 1500 meter race. These collections of memories and stories have fulfilled Mike over the years with inspiration and motivation for his announcing. He claims that the “feel good” stories are the ones that stoke his passion.
“It was such a feel good moment, above and beyond track and field!”
The Next Level Iowa
Proof of these principles is displayed with Mike and Jim Kirby’s co-creation and collaboration of the website The Next Level Iowa, which supports Iowa prep athletes. Encompassed within our podcast recording session, Mike speaks towards some of the hugely impressive Iowa runners that have progressed onto the pro circuit such as Shelby Houlihan, Jenny Simpson, and a recent
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By Corrie EnyartI could’ve sat all afternoon and listened to Mike’s captivating voice and his unique stories! Phenomenal stories collected from years of being a high school track and field and cross country coach at Columbus Junction, as well as the lead announcer for 16 years at the Drake Relays, and having a massive Iowa running culture presence. In fact, Mike told me about his evolution from his time as a runner at Columbus Junction running under Coach Purdy and the irony of how he eventually came to coaching alongside Purdy and evolving into now having 16 years of being our Iowa Drake Relays announcer. What might impress you the most is that Mike still remains a humble and gracious man, who still has a huge heart and undying passion for all things running. Not only does it seem that he’s dedicated his life up to this point to keeping the fire burning for other runners, but hasn’t come up shy for new ways to pay it forward.
Humble Roots
Mike’s stories are genuine and telltale supportive of his humble upbringing and the driving principles that his parents and own coaches drove into him. Principles of “hard work” and just being “good people”. The same principles that he describes during several stories of his own personal heroes found thru the relationships he’s developed with runners and the admiration that he finds and inspires to pay forward.
A few stories of hard working good people that include a self-trained runner and neighbor of Mike’s who is now aspiring to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon, and even an Olympic champion who returned to the Parapan Olympic games to selflessly help a blind 56-year-old woman go after goals of breaking seven minutes in the 1500 meter race. These collections of memories and stories have fulfilled Mike over the years with inspiration and motivation for his announcing. He claims that the “feel good” stories are the ones that stoke his passion.
“It was such a feel good moment, above and beyond track and field!”
The Next Level Iowa
Proof of these principles is displayed with Mike and Jim Kirby’s co-creation and collaboration of the website The Next Level Iowa, which supports Iowa prep athletes. Encompassed within our podcast recording session, Mike speaks towards some of the hugely impressive Iowa runners that have progressed onto the pro circuit such as Shelby Houlihan, Jenny Simpson, and a recent