Running club honors head coach for 18 years of service
Honoring 18 years of service, San Quentin’s 1000 Mile Club celebrated the retirement of Frank Ruona, the inspiring and motivating track coach who has influenced the lives of incarcerated persons through discipline and hard work.
Residents and outside guests gathered in Chapel B to honor Ruona at a November 27 post-season banquet, the first such event for the club. The evening began with attendees enjoying pepperoni and cheese pizza, bottled water, and cookies.
Volunteer Tim Fitzpatrick, an assistant for nine SQ marathons, hosted the event. His wife Dianne has been volunteering at the prison for 15 years. The Fitzpatrick duo will take charge of the club’s leadership.
“I express my deepest appreciation for Coach Frank Ruona and the volunteers for their time and effort” said Tim Fitzpatrick.
Resident Tommy Wickerd, the 1000 Mile Running Club secretary and co-host of the event, introduced club members whom the coach has helped.
“This man has volunteered 18 years of his life to the incarcerated at San Quentin,” said Wickerd. “He never looked at us as prisoners.”
Resident Steven Warren, a recent marathon finisher, explained that running to him consists of two parts — self-care and community building.
“When I finished the marathon, I said to Frank, this is for you, and the legacy you’ve created with this brotherhood. You have invested something valuable [18 years of service] that can’t be got back,” said Warren.
Resident Jose Farjardo, the winner of San Quentin’s recent marathon, spoke in both English and Spanish about the coach’s influence.
“I am grateful and blessed for the impact Coach Frank had on my life,” said Farjardo. “I never imagined running a marathon, the documentary “26.2 To Life” inspired me to run the marathon.”
Coach Ruona then took the stage to a standing ovation as the crowd applauded and cheered for him. Some participants shouted, “Thank you, Coach.”
The 1000 Mile Club presented Ruona with a varsity jacket. Wickerd said, “We are not allowed to hug volunteers; let this jacket be a symbol of that hug.”
Ruona gave Wickerd recognition as the “heart and soul of the running club, Tommy kept the running club together throughout the pandemic,” said the coach.
“Whatever you are going to do, do the best,” said Ruona. “I am very impressed that those who have paroled all are doing well. We had a number of the formerly incarcerated who have run races on the outside.”
SQ Resident and former U.S. Olympian Ralph Ligons, one of the original members of the club, said previous club members have paroled and went on to great accomplishments.
Ruona, a U.S. Army veteran trained as an Airborne Ranger, received an honorable tribute from the San Quentin Veteran’s Color Guard by displaying the United States, California’s and the Army’s Flag in celebration of freedom and service.
The crowd stood with the coach and the incarcerated veterans to salute America’s Flags. Ruona also served tours in both Germany and Vietnam, he received an honorable discharge.
“Tonight maybe a farewell, but it is only a goodbye, the coach will be with us as we continue to train,” Wickerd told the audience.
Resident Larry Ford, the club’s previous president, then came to the stage to speak about his experience with Rouna.
“I was a shocked to see anyone that dedicated,” said Ford. “It was raining, and some guys said he [Coach Frank] will not show up, but there he was on the yard waiting on us.”
Jamie “Happy” Paredas, a member of the San Quentin’s deaf community, completed 6.25 miles of the marathon. He addressed the audience through an American Sign Language interpreter.
“When I first got here, there was no program for me, I felt isolated,” signed Paredas. “God Bless you, I have mad respect for all of you. Thank you for inviting the deaf community; we felt the love and support, like family.”
Another club member expounded on Ruona’s influence on his life. “With Coach Frank’s training and encouragement, I was able to complete my first marathon in 2017; I could not have accomplished that without his kindness and compassion,” said club member John Levin.
At that point, the event recognized the San Quentin residents who had completed the November marathon. Ruona and volunteer Dianne Fitzpatrick presented certificates to the 24 finishers.
Farjardo, 42, the marathon winner, broke formerly incarcerated marathon champion Markelle “The Gazelle” Taylor’s record. Farjardo’s time of 3:05:26 shattered Taylor’s long-standing record of 3:10.42.
The second and third place finishers, William Campos and Ignacio Gutierrez, received certificates, as did the other 21 residents who finished.
Dianne Fitzpatrick thanked everyone for their support and wished them well in the future. She thanked Barbara Ruona, Frank’s wife of 56 years.
She acknowledged Ruona’s wife as a behind-the-scenes driving force, adding, “We would not have Frank if not for her.”
“Frank is so passionate about the 1000 Mile Club, what makes him happy makes me happy,” said Barbara Ruona.
“When you finish [a marathon], it’s a life-changing moment for all of us — the coaches and runners,” said Dianne Fitzpatrick.
