April 18, 2011

Special to SienaSaints.com

Written by Siena College Freshman Kyle Schnitzer

When you think of cross-country, you think of men and women running through rugged terrain in any weather. You see sweat dripping down their faces in agony and determination.

Senior Phil Hartshorn, a Petersberg, N.Y. native, is a leader of the Siena College cross country team, but his story far extends the trails the Saints compete on.

When asked his favorite sports team, Hartshorn lists lp Ching Wing Chun. Confused? So were we.

To put it simply: Phil Hartshorn is an aspiring master at the martial arts practice, Wing Chun Kung Fu. He recently displayed his talents in front of the Siena community at the first ever Siena Athletics Talent Show, tossing his teammates around the stage like ragdolls in a demonstration of self defense. What many in the audience did not know was the story behind the act. Wing Chun Kung Fu saved Phil Hartshorn's career, and helped him rebuild his life.

Diagnosed with a large tumor in his osteochondroma bone, located in the femur, in December of 2009, Hartshorn's life was turned upside down, and his future as a cross country runner was the furthest thing from his mind. "They told me I was never going to run again," Hartshorn said. "I thought my life was pretty much over. I thought, `If this tumor grows back...alright, `I'm dead'."

"When it's you and your suffering there's no more running from reality. It's that simple. Deal with it, or die," said Hartshorn. He found himself struggling with the daily tasks of the day, like walking. "I fell down a few times. It was pretty hard," Hartshorn described. But Hartshorn made it out of the surgery with just a scar and a reminder: "Be thankful for what you have."

Hartshorn was on crutches after his surgery. "The suffering was unbelievable," said Hartshorn. "I had to fix it."

Amazingly, Hartshorn was back to form in the summer of 2010, making his return to the Siena cross country team. He credits the rehab he did through Wing Chun for his quick return to form. "Wing Chun is all about relaxation. When you are running a 5-mile race, you have to conserve your energy. Wing Chun helped me understand my body," Hartshorn said.

Wing Chun is a concept-based Chinese martial art, and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat. "Wing Chun is an intelligent system," said Hartshorn. "It's based on science, physics, angles, and knowing when to attack."

Actor Bruce Lee is one of the first to master Wing Chun. Hartshorn's Sifu, or master, is Russ Cichon, an early American disciple of lP Ching. Cichon was taught the art from the son of Bruce Lee's teacher.

Hartshorn uses his skills from Wing Chun to help him mentally and physically prepare for meets, but he didn't know Wing Chun was going to save his running career.

Wing Chun also gave him confidence, and he has spread the word. Two of his teammates recently took up the art. "For a little while, it was the backbone of the team. All the guys were talking about it, and some even stopped by to see the school. It was really cool."

Wing Chun is not a commonly known art, but it has dedicated members in the Capital Region. "All ages participate. There's a 12-year-old boy there who used to kick my butt when I first joined," laughed Hartshorn. "When everyone is in the room, you are all equal. It does not matter your age. Nobody is there to impress anyone. There are no belts, no politics. Everybody is there to learn from each other."

Wing Chun does not include pads, and is used for self-protection. It consists of just six moves, but each takes years to master. Hartshorn explained Wing Chun with a simple simile. "It's like a dog mauling someone. It's very frightening and not pretty, but it works very well."

At the talent show, Hartshorn put his talents to the test and displayed one of the more remembering acts of the night. "I was just very happy to represent my Sifu and show where I've come from," Hartshorn stated with a smile.

The highlight of the performance came when Hartshorn's friend charged him on the stage, and he calmly flipped him over his shoulder. "The faces of the crowd went from `you're a fake' to quiet," he remembers.

Brendan Gregg, a teammate on the cross-country team, says that Hartshorn's taught him respect. He also taught Gregg about self-dignity, and to always give your best. "When I first came to Siena, I saw this quirky guy doing martial arts in the corner of my eye," said Gregg. "Once you got to know him, you realized he's a good leader and a good friend."

While Hartshorn will be graduating this May, he is studying choreography and has even created a movie about Wing Chun. Hartshorn said he applied to graduate school at Yale and NYU.

From a kid who battled against the odds, Phil Hartshorn came on top of this 10-mile race. "Cherish what you do. Really make it true."