Running For His Life

An excerpt from the San Francisco Examiner -

‘The Gazelle of San Quentin’

Seven years into a life sentence, Markelle Taylor was 36 and realized continued survival at San Quentin State Prison would require some spiritual help.

By JOEL P. ENGARDIO

While in prison, Markelle Taylor was able to run 105 non-stop loops around the prison track —
the equivalent of a marathon. (Christine Yoo/Special to S.F. Examiner)

Seven years into a life sentence, Markelle Taylor was 36 and realized continued survival at San Quentin State Prison would require some spiritual help.

“Prison can be too much to bear,” Taylor said, describing a desperate place that fosters fear and loathing over self-reflection and rehabilitation. “I didn’t have a lot of hope.”

Parole wasn’t an option for at least 15 years on his second-degree murder conviction. And meeting a sympathetic parole board could take many more years. Taylor’s friend committed suicide after being denied release four times.

“When you don’t have the strength to hang in there, you can either act out and hurt others or kill yourself,” Taylor said. “Finding a spiritual purpose for my life is what saved me.”

Taylor became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2009. But the religious conversion alone wasn’t enough to deal with the daily trauma of prison.

“Even with the spiritual assistance, I was still stressing,” he said. “I didn’t want to end up like my friend.”

A member of Taylor’s Bible group suggested some physical activity could supplement his scriptural studies and clear his mind. Taylor joined the 1,000 Mile Club, a running program led by volunteer coaches from the outside. Inmates train on a makeshift, quarter-mile track that circles the prison yard.

“Once I started running, it relieved a lot of stress. I felt more mentally balanced. I was able to make better decisions,” Taylor said. “I felt free.”

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news-columnists/the-gazelle-of-san-quentin/