My friend Stan Cottrell
by Joshua Culbreath
Over the past 20 years I have regarded Stan as a very close friend and little brother.
He has exemplified an individual who is very sincere, dedicated and interested in his fellow man and known as the "Ultra Distance Man of the World." He has dedicated his life to running for any and all causes for humanity.
We had the opportunity to get to know each other as brother in May of 1990 when I was the coach/driver on his Historical Freedom Run from Berlin to Moscow, Russia via Warsaw, Poland in acknowledgement of the Berlin Wall being torn down, the "wall of tyranny" between East and West Berlin. On that day the dedication of this famous run was acknowledged by the history making first female mayor in Berlin. I will always be honored to have been a part of this historical event with Stan. It is acknowledged that this historical run had to end in Warsaw, Poland as a result of a personal incident; I lost my mother to pancreatic cancer and had to return to the United States and Stan made the decision to return with me. However, this particular situation has bonded us together for life.
Stan is now about to embark on the biggest challenge of his lifetime. At the age of 66 he will attempt to run the "Great Global Friendship Run" through 258 countries leaving from Samoa in June 2010 and the distance with take him six (6) years and will end in Washington, D.C. in 2016.
Stan wants me to be a part of this journey at the completion in Washington, D.C. by running the last mile through the nation’s capital to the White House. This ceremony will be a culminating running career ending cerebration for the both of us – Stan as the "Ultra Distance Man of the World" and me, Joshua Culbreath, as a 1956 Olympian and Bronze medalist in the 400 meter hurdles and celebrated Track and Field Coach of many collegiate, United States and International teams representing countries around the world.