Glory Days with Jack Howard

The Great Race starred the late Tony Curtis and was filmed in 1965. So after a successful run as an 800 racer at Notre Dame University, what was Jack Howard's greatest race of his career?

After all this was an athlete who was named an All-American while racing in South Bend. As a senior, he won indoor track events at Arizona State, Notre Dame and the Big East Championships.

“I'd say my greatest race came at the DMR relays,” Howard said. “It was at a 13-team nationals. I took the baton in 11th place and got us to third. We were flying.”

A DMR combines a 1,200-yard, 400-yard runner and the 800-yard specialist Howard.

Howard's stellar career at Notre Dame has closed. He can look back at a racing career that began in the big state of Texas.

“Football is pretty big in Texas,” Howard said. “And then we moved to Libertyville. I got weather shock. Libertyville was similar in size to my school, so we chose to go to school here.”

That was a good decision, said Libertyville athletic director Briant Kelly. At that time, Kelly was coaching track.

“On the track, Jack was very coachable and willing to work hard every day,” Kelly said. “In practice his dedication and work ethic set the tone for the team.”

This move-in ran track for Kelly for just two seasons. But he made immediate successes.

Howard was a Lake County champion, NSC champion and a winner of a sectional. He also finished strongly by leading off the 3,200 relay that finished seventh in the state and set a Libertyville school record.

And then it was time to pick a college to continue his track career.

“I had lived in South Bend when I was younger,” Howard said. “Again, football was really big. But it was the right size for me.”

Then, all that running began to take a toll. Stress fractures knocked him out during his freshman season.

“I didn't run cross country since I played football in high school,” he said. “So I didn't have a lot of mileage. Notre Dame started its 800 runners at 40-50 miles and anytime that happens it's not good.”

He still had four years of eligibility, but his sophomore year wasn't all that he expected either.

“I was kind of discouraged after my sophomore year,” he said. “I really wasn't running that well.”

Howard was being trained as an 800 runner.

“That race requires raw speed and also strength,” Howard said.

His junior season in college paid off with a pair of fifth-place finishes. But that led to nothing short of a spectacular senior season.

“I was a fifth-year senior,” Howard said. “I graduated last May but I'm glad I stuck with it. And two weeks ago, the outdoor season closed. It's kind of weird as track has been such a big part of my life.”

He won't feel sorry for himself for too long. Howard already has secured a full-time job in Crystal City, Va.

“I'm pretty excited about that,” he said. “And I'll still have those lifetime moments from track and all the friends I've made.”

After a slow start at Notre Dame, Howard worked to become an excellent 800 runner.

He also earned a championship at the Indiana Relays.

“Ideally, you want to get better,” he said. “I was fortunate to stay healthy.”