Hounds Hall of Famer RICH OVIAN '77 on the mend after accident

February 15, 2009

Greyhounds' Hall of Famer recovering from injuries sustained in accident

By John Conceison

Worcester Telegram & Gazette Staff

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Testing physical limitations is nothing new for RICH OVIAN ‘77 - the Worcester native trained rigorously to achieve stardom from his teen years at Burncoat High to masters events while proudly representing the Central Mass Striders.

But Ovian, one of the most popular racers to compete in our area, now faces a daunting challenge, while rebounding from a near-tragic incident about an hour before the Super Bowl that left him seriously injured at UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus.

Ovian says he remained conscious through the ordeal on February 1, recalling that he was struck on his right side by a vehicle while crossing approximately where West Boylston Street turns into Grove Street. He had just ordered a pizza at Ciao Bella, a five-minute walk from his home on Gifford Drive, and was passing time before picking up the pie he hoped to enjoy while rooting for the Arizona Cardinals.

He tells about the surgery performed on February 5 by Dr. Judith A. Siegel at UMass Memorial, in which three screws were inserted to repair multiple fractures to his pelvis. The operation is being considered a success, yet he knows he has a long road to recovery.

"He has remained very optimistic through all of this," said Bob Ovian, Rich's older brother. "In some ways, this rehab for him could end up being like training again."

"You read all these stories about people who come through situations like this, about keeping a positive attitude, with all these clich?s," Rich Ovian said from his bed at UMass Memorial on Tuesday, one day before his 54th birthday. "It's simple as this: I have strong faith in God, and I'm going to do what I have to do."

As a runner, Ovian never endured any serious injuries. Sure, there were various aches, pains and conditions that would interrupt his training or race schedule.

"I used to think if you have an injury, it heals," Ovian said. "I've never had this kind of experience before, I just have to take everything day to day. I'll have to keep working and working."

Ovian, who later on Tuesday was moved to Beaumont Rehabilitation in Worcester, where he is undergoing physical therapy a couple of hours a day, won't be able to stand on his weight for at least 30 days after the surgery, and from there at least a year of intensive rehab is expected.

"Every day, you have to do something new," he said. "Today, they just showed me how to get into a chair (in which he sat for two hours). Unless you've been through it, you don't know. You really have to have respect for those who have gone through something like this."

Helping to keep Ovian's spirits bright have been phone calls and visits from friends and family, especially brothers Larry and Bob. "Faith, family and friends - if I didn't have them, I don't know where I'd be," he said. "Keeping a positive attitude - that's a must. Plus, I've been praying, and that has helped me the most."

Ovian, who works in real estate and has been an assistant cross-country coach at Saint John's High, starred in cross country and track at Burncoat and was a Hall of Famer at Assumption College before shining on the New England road racing circuit from the 1970s through the '90s. He has three marathons to his credit, with a personal best of 2 hours, 26 minutes, all three under 2:40. Ovian has always been a fixture on the roads of Worcester, though he had tailed off his training and race schedule over the past few years.

Before the accident, he had been running five days a week, at an average of 20-25 miles. Many workouts, however, consisted of incline work on an indoor treadmill as he was nursing a minor knee injury.

The long-range goal, of course, is returning to running, but that's far down the road. "I'll just take it day to day," Ovian said. "We'll take this one step at a time.

"You'll see me doing something. Maybe not a four-minute mile, but I'll be out there doing something."