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| Tributes to Don Mills – Page Two – Monday 17th March 2003 via Track-Canada list |
| I had the honour of being coached by Don as I transitioned from highschool to university. Don Mills was the only coach I have ever had who had the ability to make every single athlete he coached, no matter what their level, feel like they were his number one priority. An extremely difficult task when managing countless athletes at any one time. Always positive and truly the most dedicated coach I have ever come across and probably every will.
Greg Dailey |
| I was talking with Chris Holden last night and he reminded me that I had introduced him to Don at the world x-c team trials in Victoria in 1988 or 89. Chris was so impressed that this rather odd character from the “heartland” of the country was so interested in him and in what he was doing – Chris being an unknown but talented runner from Newfoundland. He said that this aspect of Don had really stuck with him over the years. This reminded me that whenever I had the chance I would introduce the athletes with me at a meet to Don and that he would remember them – often, as in Chris’ case – by name, for several years after. He had a genuine interest in young people involved in our sport. Ray Will |
| It is amazing to me how one individual can touch so many lives.
Having been a Track West athlete in the 90’s (London based), my coach then and now was coached by Don. I am still awestruck by this fact. Don has worked with generations of athletes…outlasting many but giving so much to each one! Though I did not know Don well, like many of you noted, he was at every race that I can remember. I recall seeing him at Moncton last year and being amazed that he was there and even more amazed that he looked the exact same as when I first met him. I have truly enjoyed reading about the memories that you all have had to share and look forward to reading and learning more. Write on! Donna E. Levy |
| Don coached me for the most successful part of my running career in the late 80s. There are a few things that that will stick with me about Big Don. The first was his relentless drive to keep athletes informed of results from meets from all over. No matter where I bumped into Don he would thrust results of the latest race into my hand even long after I had stopped figuring in any race. Another great thing about Don was his ability to calm you down before races and do those little things to keep your head in the race. Entries were always sorted out and he always had a few quiet words about who was in the race and what might be the best way to run. Too often folks would talk over the old guy and not realize he really did know what was up.
I will always remember Don talking about having a balanced live of running and academics. The irony of this was that Don was really fanatical and balance did not figure strongly in his life. We all benefited from Don’s extreme dedication and he always did whatever he could. I am sure I am not the only one to wonder how he managed to fund travel for so many athletes when he ran Track West or how he managed to carry on with so little regard for his own health. It’s a sad day for me. He had a way of making us feel important and our struggle significant. I hope there are dedicated, young runners where old track coaches go once they leave this earth. Bruce Wainman |
| – Don had great confidence in his athlete’s abilities; in fact sometimes the confidence was a tad ambitious. I recall 2 summers ago arriving to a mid-summer practice at York only to be faced with the following workout plan from Don (keep in mind I am a slow twitch man who can run 66s till the cows come home, but anything under 60 will send me into lactic acidosis!): 400-400-600 x3 with 2mins rest and a 3 mins set break. First set was to be 61-2-1:32-3, second 58-9-1:29, third 56-6-happy warrior (all out). Clearly Don thought he was coaching Nate Brannen, Geoff Scheibler and Kevin Sullivan, not myself who had yet to break 1:30 in practice for a 600!
– Don’s quick to the lips reasona for a poor performance, fatigue or a rough practice: – Don was instrumental in improving my form/relaxation over the last few years. He would constantly emphasize to me how I should relax my upper body from the jowels through to the finger tips, because any tightness or inefficiencies would hold me back over the longer distances. Matt McInnes |
| What stag would be complete without the officiating of Don Mills?
When I got married in 1995, my best man, Scott Manktelow, along with some of the other members of Track West thought it would be fitting to hold a beer mile. After downing a few at Orwells, we convened under the shadow of night at an undisclosed location (Etobicoke Collegiate) to do the deed. To ensure this was a sanctioned event, with accurate timing and results, Don came along with watch and clipboard on hand. René Van Andel |
| It would be fair to say that knowing Don Mills has had a profound effect on my life. Under his guidance I accomplished goals I never thought I would. I can’t imagine having a better coach. He coached me over a period of time starting in 1983 and lasting for a decade. During that time he coached many other athletes in several cities, yet I never felt that I had anything but his undivided attention. It wasn’t uncommon for Don to attend two or more track meets and/or road races in different cities on the same weekend. During the week he would regularly travel to Waterloo, Windsor, London and Hamilton to meet with his athletes. I remember one OUAA championship in particular where most of the medalists were in some way connected to him and I have fond memories of a moderately talented U of W team he coached that qualified for CIAU XC (yes, we had to qualify back then).I don’t know if anyone used the phrase “one of Don’s boys” to describe his athletes, but if no one did they certainly thought it. No doubt Track West was his family and he lavished his attention on us. All that was required was some commitment and Don would arrange a meeting, and hop on a bus. Goals would be discussed and the season would be charted from start to end. We were all obsessed by running, but Don knew it’s place. He impressed upon us the importance of work and school and was genuinely happy when we were successful in either of these, even at the expense of our running.I fondly remember the cross-country workouts at High Park which always ended with a milkshake at the local convenience store. It was a milkshake that tasted all the better after a hard workout and certainly propelled us to work harder. Don was dedicated to achieving personal athletic excellence for each of his athletes and our progress toward this goal was very important. There were the countless times that Don stood in the rain shouting out splits wearing nothing more than a windbreaker. He arrived at every practice with the workout neatly typed up with all the distances and times laid out for us. We all received a copy of the latest track results that he either photocopied or compiled himself. I collected only a fraction of these but they still filled two thick binders. The practices were never the same, each one devised for a specific group of athletes with a specific cross-country course or track event as the final test. While I’m sadden by Don’s passing, I know he lived life to the fullest, uncompromising and on his own terms. He often ended his letters with a bit of Latin that roughly translated to “don’t let the bastards get you down”. Andrew Krucker |
| When I was at Brock University, I remember when Don used to call me at 7:30 am to discuss the next practice. Usually he would drift onto another topic related to some athlete who I’d never met who “was a great guy, and well, h-h-his mother was an accountant and his f-f-father, well he was in the military and …”. And so it went. It was a true challenge keeping awake at those moments.
Don’s diet was intriguing. One summer he spent two weeks at my place in Canmore. Every night for dinner, requested the same thing: “I-I-I’l just have a couple of fried eggs, a-a-and some toast, please. Perhaps we could have some ice cream for desert”. I swear that’s all he ate. There are some people in this world that you can’t thank enough. Don gave me more confidence over the years than all the rest of the coaches combined. He had a quiet and personal way about him that made every athlete feel important. We knew that we were important to him. After 10 years of training with Don, I had the opportunity to represent Canada at the World Duathlon Championships in Calais, France. Though I got hammered on by the racers there, I figured it was about as good as it got for someone of my abilities. I owe such a debt to Don for giving me the tools to get there. Scott Manktelow |
| Imitating Don.
At some point in time, many of us probably tried to imitate Don, especially when he had a strong opinion on something and we wanted to tell it in his words. One of the best ever was Shane Lavell. In fact, he was so good, he managed to call up one of the other members of the St.Catharines gang, posing as Don, and convince him to drive to Toronto the next day, through a snow storm, to meet him. Obviously, Don wasn’t there – did we ever laugh! René VanAndel |
| My first “meeting” with Don occurred during the 1989 University of Waterloo Warrior night at the K-W Okotoberfeast. At the time I was attending Wilfrid Laurier . I had heard all about the legendary Don Mills from my high school days but had never actually met him before. So a bunch of us from WLU came to along to drink. I was pretty drunk at the time and recall sitting across from this really cool old guy who knew everything about track and cross country. The more I drank, the mesmerizing this old guy sounded. At some point, I recall face planting and passing out. AsI kept coming to, the old guy was still chatting away with everyone else at the table. Some time later one of my thoughtful and caring teammates came to our table and suggested that sauerkraut he had at hand might help me in my completely drunkard state. The hideous smell of sauerkraut, way too much alcohol, and my weak stomach led me to hurl on adjacent chair and on Pete Self’s jacket (I think). As I was being escorted away by Oktoberfest security, Paul Self and Mike Booker all I can recall is this old guy still chatting away. That winter I decided to join Track West and set up a meeting with Don. Again, I had never met him in person. Initially, I was somewhat embarrassed, recalling that night, as I sat across from him in the UW Seminary building but I tried to keep my composure hoping that he would not have remembered me .. Not a chance! Don poked fun at me right from the outset about my inability to handle my “Molson’s training!” Whenever, I smell sauerkraut I cannot but think of Don.
When I moved away to Halifax to pursue graduate studies, I remained with the club. Of course Don would regularly call to see how things were going. I recall very vividly, the genuine concern Don had when he found out that my three other roommates were women! Most of my best running results came under Don. However, his greatest praise for me came whenever I told him that I got a scholarship or a paper accepted. I remember calling him after I pb’d in the marathon but his attention was quickly diverted to how my career was coming along and what I was doing at work. I tried to keep in touch with Don as much as possible over the years and I will forever miss the “How’s Adam doing tonight?” phase he said at the beginning of every phone call. Adam Wellstead, Track West 89-94 |
| Another memorial page. |
| It’s with great regret that I must let you know that I’m unable to make the service for Don on Saturday. Having just seen him over the weekend at the CIS Championships, it’s difficult to fathom that a mainstay in the track community (especially in this area) is no longer with us. Having met Don many years ago when I was competing at the high school level, he was truly an inspiration to all involved in the sport. His continued efforts, diligence and support to the track and field community was unparalleled and will be sorely missed. Even to the end, he was involved in some way with track and field (which led to him being at the CIS Championships). Please pass along my condolences. George Kerr. |
| I was an athlete with Don in the 80’s and later coached the Track West women in the 90’s out of London. I am touched reading the tributes posted and the many names I recognize during my time with Track West. To have been trained by Don and later coached with Don is to live track and field to its fullest. I am proud to have known Don and the way in which I saw first hand how he touched so many lives. Every athlete that Don coached was treated with a passion and dedication we typically reserve for family members.But then Track West was his family and the athletes his children. Don nurtured and developed each and every member of Track West both in athletics and their personal lives. Thank You Don for allowing me and my family to be part of your life. You lived life to its fullest doing what you enjoyed most. Sadly I will miss our visits when you would come to London. God Bless You |
| I have only known Don for a relatively short period of time. I believe I was one of the last people to join Track West in 2000. I have never met anyone so dedicated to a sport and to his athletes. Don was a great mentor and friend, I am very great-full for all the things Don has done for me over the past few years.
Thanks Don! Mike Bown |
| Don … stories from the past.
From some of photos I’ve sent in, It’s obvious Don and I were very close the last three years. I was a member of Track West from 1991-1995 and then joined up with in 2000 when I moved back to Toronto. I had two goals when I first approached him: to get back in shape and to learn how to coach, just like Don. Since then, have taken courses and worked with him as a coach in training twice per week. Many of these nights I would drive Don home and he would regale me with stories from his past. If only I had a tape recorder! Here’s a few so can you can get more insight into who he was. Believe it or not, Don went to the prom! The war had ended, or was coming to and end, and Don was in his graduating year. Going to the prom was a big tradition and Don was not going to be left out. Before inviting his date, it was first necessary to meet the parents and get their approval. Remember, this was a different time. Don invited his date and her mother over for dinner at the Mills residence. Young Donald took care of all arrangements including the meal itself! They came over and Don made sure to take their coats, and, like a fine young gentleman, entertained and served them dinner. Needless to say, the mother was impressed and Don had a green light to take her to the prom. His father was very excited for him. He arranged for Don and his friend to take their dates to an elegant dinner at the Golf club, where he was a member. He also forked out $100.00 for an allnight limo and driver. “It was ss-s-some car!” Don, who wasn’t much of a dancer, made sure that dinner was both late and out of the way, thus the golf course. They didn’t arrive at the dance, until well after 11:00pm. This was fine with Don. They then proceeded to another party that when well into wee hours of the morning, fully chaperoned of course by a priest. From there they all went to her house where they had breakfast. I’m sure Don had either eggs or pancakes swimming syrup. Don in the military… Don wanted to go to RMC however, in those days you needed several recommendations, one of which came from your high school principal. The first two letters were good but the third one went something like this. “Don is fine young man who works hard in school, has solid marks and is a strong athlete however, I must tell you that he is a bit of a non-conformist.” Despite the influence of his father, who was in charge of textile rationing during the war, Don was unable to get in and thus, attended McGill. He played goalie until a serious head injury left him unconscious in a hospital, where the nuns didn’t speak English and couldn’t understand what he was saying, so it was a few days before they were able to contact his family. It’s been three years since I first started coaching master’s running at UofT. When I first started I hadn’t clue what to do so, Don came out every Wednesday with me for the first two years and mentored me. This was in addition to his coaching with UofT. It was Don’s approach to athletes that influenced my decision to become a coach. It didn’t matter how fast you were; if you were committed then so was he. It was because he gave me the time of day three years ago that I got back into shape and was able to share the best season of running in my life with him, breaking 10 year old p.b.s (5, 10 and 21 km). If I can pass along to others what he gave me then this efforts were not in vain. Sadly, the phone line will be a little too quiet Sunday and Tuesday nights. René VanAndel |
| Ray & Sue Paulins wrote:
I was very sad to hear of Don’s passing on Sunday. The last time I saw him was at the Timex road race champs last fall and I was glad I was able to chat with him at that time. It was at the world x-country champs in the late 70’s where I first met Don and his passion for the sport. Don impacted many peoples lives whether or not they were coached by him . He will be missed by many in the running community. Ray Paulins |
| Martin Goulet here from Athletics Canada.
I have been touched very much so, as you and so many others by the sad event. I would just like to say a few words in French for Don – and Don understood quite well “la langue de Molière”. If you think this is valid you can post it on “Track Canada” so my feelings and thoughts can be shared with all the others that are very sad this week. “Cher ami entraîneur, cher Don, > Tu avais la “foi” et tu savais la transmettre. N’est-ce pas là quelque chose d’important en sport. Bien sûr que oui! Merci pour tout ce que tu as pu donner sans compter. Martin Goulet Directeur Technique Adjoint – Épreuves d’Endurance |
| It was 1970 when I first met Don Mills. Chris Pickard and Don had made the long journey from Toronto to Abbotsford to attend the Canadian Junior Championships and arrived at their destination several days in advance of the meet. It was my misfortune to be the meet director for the meet and at the technical meeting it was suggested that my committee would try to accommodate our guests from throughout Canada in any way we could.
There was lot’s of fun in store for me. Bishop Delagowich was a junior competitor at the meet and old timers in Abbotsford still speak in awe about the swath he cut through the city. Coach Peter Cross crossed the country by train complete with his rather rambunctious group of athletes in toe. During the meet Don and Chris would approach me at every possible opportunity to make sure that I was clear on how the heats should be arranged and to give me advise on how best to treat the Ontario athletes. After what seemed to be the 100th request I finally put my foot down and stated that we would have to let the meet run according to the rulebook. Don and Chris agreed that they would make no further requests and at the conclusion of the meet they presented my wife with a very nice gift. A number of years later, when we were both serving as coaches for the 1980 Pan American Junior team, I reminded Don about the happenings at the 1970 meet. “Oh he said, we felt you were probably handling your first big meet and we decided that it would be best to give you the benefit of our experience. Actually, I feel you handled us very well.” I feel very sad that in Don’s passing, Canada has lost one of its most enthusiastic and knowledgeable supporters. The outpouring of emotion from the every so many people that he has helped and influenced is rather overwhelming. Although over the years Don and I had our disagreements at the committee level, I have always had respect for his work and dedication and we have always remained friendly. It has been enriching to have had a person such as Don Mills serve our sport in so many ways. Don Mills stood as a leader of Canadian running and has truly earned the designation of National Coach. Gerry Swan |
| When Don was coaching the University of Waterloo cross-country team in the latter part of the 1980s, he would come up by bus from Toronto to supervise the Wednesday evening workouts. I remember he would always be there, out on the cold, rain-swept playing fields, wearing a shabby red nylon track suit. We all thought he would catch pneumonia.
Kevin Shoom |
| For the past seven years I was convinced that I was Don Mills’ favorite and most important track athlete. He took the time every day to call me from a pay phone at the exact millisecond to tell me my workout. He took the train into Toronto from Oakville in rain, or snow or the heat to be there for me. I never had to worry about registering for a meet or finding out what time my race was or booking a flight to a faraway meet. Don always had that taken care of. When I moved away to California in 1997, Don continued to register me in meets in Southern California. No, he didn’t take the train out every Saturday to watch me run, but he did make sure to call me the first thing the next morning to find out how I did. He called every day to talk and give me my precise workout. Even after I stopped running in 1998, Don continued to mail me every issue of Athletics Canada magazine, and mail me hand-written results from just about every meet in Ontario. For seven years I wondered why Don put so much time and effort into me. Why was I the “Chosen One.” However, after reading the letters from all of his other athletes, I realize I wasn’t special. Don treated all of his athletes this way. He made every one of his runners feel that they were the most important and that he believed in them. I will miss seeing Don at every organized track meet in Canada. I will miss the way Don made me feel as an athlete and as a person. I will miss talking to him about track, politics and whatever else I needed to talk to him about. But most of all, I will miss him as a friend. T.J. McKenzie |
| The voluminous Don Mills tributes, which I could read all day, have triggered another memory of Don which made a profound impression on me:
It was a highschool meet (maybe regionals or OFSAA 96) and Don was on the infield calling out splits as usual. The event, though, was 2000m steeplechase and Don was marking each 400 with ruthless precision by pacing off the extra metres on each lap. His actions were quite matter-of-fact but, to my scrutinizing eye, he was spotting himself in pretty much the right place every time without taking any bearings against the markings on the track. I was amazed at his memorization of such a fine detail but now, however, I realize that he had probably internalized the process for any steeplechase on any track: 6-lane, 8-lane, 9-lane, or interior-pit. There was nobody like him… Peace Ian Fallas |
| Don was my first serious track coach out of high school as I entered the University of Waterloo in my freshman year, September 1984. I was a mediocre runner and only made the varsity cross-country team as an alternate in my final year. In reality I should have quit competitive running and got into the party scene as I was living in Village 2 – the animal house on campus. Don was the reason I stayed training with the team when it was obvious the only way to crack the top 7 on the team was a sudden outbreak of ebola, or some other potent virus where I wasn’t affected. Don always spent a few minutes each practice talking to me individually, telling me my form looked great and encouraging me to keep going. He did this even though there were over 30 guys.
From John Gonos |
| I truly became a part of Don’s circle at CI’s in March 1994. The following are some of the ways I remember him most vividly although I am really only scratching the surface.
The end of my first competitive running season in ’93/94 had fizzled out in severe injury and I approached Don at the Butterdome in Alberta and asked him what I could do. He took my name and number and that was it. Next thing I knew I was in seeing a massage therapist to try and get to the bottom of things and Don was doing what Don does, looking after you and keeping up with how you were doing. Simply put I was in a mess and couldn’t really run for the next 9 months. But Don was always there, even for my therapy appointments and I always enjoyed our time together despite the injury problems I was having. That Christmas I started to be able to run again and I asked Don if he thought I could compete at the level I had achieved last year before injuries had done me in. It was my final year of my undergrad degree and with no training for the previous 9 months I was not optimistic that I could be ready for OUAA’s that were 9 or 10 weeks away. Don said to me if we are very careful and we followed things together he thought I could race at that level. My notes from my first session on December 28/94 at York were very unremarkable (4 sets of 2*200 mostly around 35 seconds each and I felt like absolute crap). Very carefully over the next 10 weeks Don coached me through 2 practices a week (That was all I could manage) coupled with some pool running. The volume was always quite small (1200 to 2400 m) since my injuries were not fully recovered but I systematically improved and my final workout notes showed a 400/300/300 breakdown model of a 1000 m race of 56/42/41. Don came up to me after practice put his hand on my shoulder and raised his eyebrows and said, “My, my that was a good sign” and I felt the way one might feel as a little kid when you do well on a school assignment. At OU’s Don sat me down to talk strategy for my 1000 m race, and he said the only way to see what you have accomplished is to go out hard and strong for the first 400, float strong for the next 350 and then finish hard with 250 to go (Easier said than done as any athlete will attest to). My splits that day were 29/59/1:29/2:00 and then with about 150 m to go my body “shut down”. I think I finished second in my heat in 2:36 but I held my head high and raced right to the line. I remember Don saying to me afterwards that he was proud of the way I had raced in my attempt to run a PB. Although not a 800 m race it was perhaps my finest time for that distance (too bad there was another lap to go). I owed much of my performance to Don’s vigor and commitment to me the previous 10 weeks and even as I was thanking him he merely deflected the praise. There were other ups and downs in my running and my personal life but beyond all of this there was a man who was more than a coach. He was a friend, a mentor, a voice of reason, a good listener and he always reminded me of my grandfather who died when I was quite young. Don spent Christmas Day 1997 at my house in Oakville and he gave me a 1001 Hints and Tips for gardening book. This is what he wrote word for word on the front inside cover, I think it says a lot about his concern about his athletes in more than just their running “May you have many happy years in your home and in your running. Your interest, your ability to balance work and non-work responsibilities give me a lot of pride. Finally I hope Lexus (my dog) is with you for a long time and can help with the gardening!” Truth be told Don I am so proud that I had the chance to be a part of your life. You have made me a better person and metaphorically speaking you helped me (and many others), in the “relay race that is life”. Thank you for helping us move safely through the exchange zones. Those lessons are priceless. I will miss you my friend. Jim Mylet P.S. The passenger seat of my car is always reserved for you Don and the en-route meal is eggs on toast with some ice-cream and juice to wash it down! |
| It is sad to hear about the passing of Don Mills. Early in my running career, I used to wonder who this mysterious man was who showed up at just about every track meet, cross country event or road race throughout the country but never drove. It soon became very apparent that this man was not only extremely committed to the sport but more importantly to the the athletes who he coached.
Although Don never coached me directly, he did travel with our Canadian Men’s marathon team to Seoul, South Korea for the World Cup Marathon in 1987. Don was appointed our coach and team manager. There were many reasons why I ran my personal best time of 2:19:00 at this event but I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that one of those reasons was Don’s presence and support during the trip. He offered genuine strength and confidence in a very quiet and unassuming manner. I know that he instilled this strength and confidence in many athletes over the years and I for one Rick Mannen |
| Heard the news only this morning. Clearly lost touch with the sport and the people. Brought back many memories. I don’t think we fully appreciated the high calibre of coaching we received from Don in those days and often poked fun at his quirks. What 16 year old guys could figure out what a “high speed float” was.? Still not sure. It was always damn hard work. Don always stressed quality and workouts were indeed built to maximize our strengths and minimize weaknesses. I remember the hand typed dated notes outlining the workout and the meet results from every allcomers meet in this and other towns. I wish I could put my hands on one of those notes today ! Results were important but not more than the people. Don tried to bring out the best in any individual regardless of their ultimate potential; It didn’t matter if you were running 1:51 for 800m or 40 minutes for 10 km. I looked over some of the names and recognized many but also missed a few: Earl, Groves, Brack, Nowak, Clancy, the Lincolns and the other Track West “alumni” from 76-78 when I wore the orange and blue and sprinted around the crushed red brick on Michael Power track Tuesday’s and Thursdays. Thankyou for the investment of your time and Farewell Don! God Bless, Iain Switzer Track West 1976-78 |
| I met Don Mills in 1988 when I joined the cross-country team at the University of Waterloo. It did not take long for me to realize how special a coach and person he was. Not only was he putting in the time and effort to attend, manage and develop our training sessions, but he was also able to give everyone the individual attention and perspective to help them achieve both their running and life goals. He was always very focused when it came to our training and workouts, but also kept things fun by greeting us with his nicknames of “Big Man” or “Handsome”, or getting excited when telling us that our final interval is to be run at 100% (or as he liked to call it, “Happy Warrior”), or marshalling the annual Beer Mile. In my second year at UW, Don was slowly stripped of his coaching duties (this was his last year coaching at UW). A group of us who craved the personal attention, guidance and inspiration he was able to provide were still loyal to him. This resulted in us either skipping or faking the varsity workout and running Don’s workout instead. The end result of that season for a few of us was choosing to run for Track West rather than continuing to run varsity. In the early 90’s Don would still make the trip to Waterloo every week to train us. We had a great training group and we were all quite fit. It was during this time that Don started having all of us visit a massage therapist in Waterloo. I think Don even had some of his athletes come in from Toronto to visit him. It was not too long afterwards that we realized that there were no club funds to pay this guy and that Don owed him for many of our sessions. Fortunately, some of the older and wiser guys in the club stepped up and started the Erin Mills races to raise some money for the club to cover all these expenses Don was paying personally. Don certainly had quite a network of athletes. It seemed that whenever any of us traveled to other cities, Don could often set us up with a place to stay or give us the phone number of another runner to show us around and do workouts with. I’m sure there are only a few of us who have never had Don or his athletes visit or stay over at our homes. In the mid to late 90’s, I fell out of the running thing, but would always seem to bump into Don at various places around Toronto. I will never forget seeing him while he was battling cancer. He was more tired and frail looking than ever, but still very positive and made sure to find out how I was doing. It always seemed that no matter what hit him (bad weather, In 2001, I started running full-time with Don again and have been seeing him once or twice a week ever since. He was still the same old Don and just what I needed to get fit again. The last time I saw Don was for our workout the week before he passed away. He was in his usual corner at U of T watching the runners do their workouts. He greeted me with his usual big smile and “Hey Big Man”, asked how my recovery was from the last workout, and hurried me along to ensure I got myself properly warmed up and ready to go. Don, thank you for everything you have done. I will miss you. Patrick MacDonell |
| Sports are so fortunate to have individuals like Don Mills who give with such passion. As the tributes show, however, Don was a unique sport’s individual and we were fortunate that running, and coaching, was Don’s passion. I was first introduced to Don, at an indoor track meet in Sherbrooke, Quebec, by my coach Bill Arnold. I was 15 years old. A few years later I ran at the U of Waterloo and Don was the coach. Since graduating I have attended, as a spectator, the occasional high performance meets at Centennial Stadium in Kitchener, and I have participated in the U of W cross-country race. I always bumped into Don and he was happy to chat for a brief time – just like I was still a ‘Warrior’ . His passion and perseverance was astounding. It will be like a tradition lost not to search out Don at running events. Thanks for the passion and the longevity Don. Kevin Shields, Kitchener, ON |
