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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Cedric Givens
Aired May 10, 2003 - 07:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So every day millions of people set out for a morning jog. It might be in your plans this morning. But in Washington, D.C., one man goes about his morning routine, well, a little bit backwards, literally.
Cedric Givens has been going the wrong way for nearly 20 years, which isn't always a good thing considering he's a bus driver. But thankfully he only goes backward when he runs.
Now, joining us from Washington, the backward man himself, Cedric Givens.
Thanks for being with us, Cedric.
CEDRIC GIVENS, BACKWARDS RUNNER: Good morning.
COOPER: So the obvious question, why are you running backwards all the time?
GIVENS: Well, I started back in '84 just to beat the buses, have fun.
COOPER: How did it start? You just one day said you know what, I wonder if I can do this?
GIVENS: No, I knew I could do it. It was just that I used to race the buses from my home to, down to the end of the line at the White House and I was beating them so easily. So I just wanted the challenge, to see if I can do it backwards.
COOPER: And now, I mean have you run into things? You've got to run into trouble from time to time.
GIVENS: No, not really, to tell you the truth. No.
COOPER: So it's not difficult running backwards? I mean how do you do it?
GIVENS: I guess it's a gift. It would have to be a gift because I'm full aware of what's around me at all times and I don't know, it's just a gift.
COOPER: Do you find yourself -- I mean do you have to constantly, I guess, look over your shoulder at what's coming toward you?
GIVENS: Yes. I definitely have to constantly look around because cars are coming for me at every angle. So I definitely have to do that.
COOPER: Do you find people react to you differently when they see you running backwards than if you were running forwards?
GIVENS: Well, yes. The ones that see me on a consistent basis, they greet me with smiles and cheers, you know. But the people that don't see me as often, they think maybe I'm crazy or something the way I be running.
COOPER: But you're not crazy. We just want to get this out clearly for everyone to know. You're not crazy.
GIVENS: Oh, no, no.
COOPER: You just enjoy doing it. Does it exercise different muscles?
GIVENS: Yes, it's the back muscles on my calves, my Achilles and when I turn around forward, it feels like I haven't even been running.
COOPER: Now, you also run in races, I know, and you do pretty well. Do you run backwards in races or do you run forwards?
GIVENS: No, it's all about time in races. You know, I run -- basically in races it's for the time. And I run forward.
COOPER: So if someone at home wanted to do this -- and I'm really not sure why they would -- but in case, if they did -- you never know with people -- what would you recommend?
GIVENS: Well, I would start on a track. I wouldn't start in the street like I run, because a lot of people just don't have the balance and the awareness of where you're going. So I would start on the track first. But it's a difference, you know? It's, it takes away the agony of knowing that how far you're going to run. It's just, I just have more fun, that's all I can say.
COOPER: That's true. I guess you don't have any idea how far you're going to run and you only know how far you've already run, which is...
GIVENS: Exactly.
COOPER: ... a sense of accomplishment. That's good.
Cedric Givens, good luck to you.
Keep on running backwards.
And appreciate you joining us.
Thanks very much.
GIVENS: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 10, 2003 - 07:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So every day millions of people set out for a morning jog. It might be in your plans this morning. But in Washington, D.C., one man goes about his morning routine, well, a little bit backwards, literally.
Cedric Givens has been going the wrong way for nearly 20 years, which isn't always a good thing considering he's a bus driver. But thankfully he only goes backward when he runs.
Now, joining us from Washington, the backward man himself, Cedric Givens.
Thanks for being with us, Cedric.
CEDRIC GIVENS, BACKWARDS RUNNER: Good morning.
COOPER: So the obvious question, why are you running backwards all the time?
GIVENS: Well, I started back in '84 just to beat the buses, have fun.
COOPER: How did it start? You just one day said you know what, I wonder if I can do this?
GIVENS: No, I knew I could do it. It was just that I used to race the buses from my home to, down to the end of the line at the White House and I was beating them so easily. So I just wanted the challenge, to see if I can do it backwards.
COOPER: And now, I mean have you run into things? You've got to run into trouble from time to time.
GIVENS: No, not really, to tell you the truth. No.
COOPER: So it's not difficult running backwards? I mean how do you do it?
GIVENS: I guess it's a gift. It would have to be a gift because I'm full aware of what's around me at all times and I don't know, it's just a gift.
COOPER: Do you find yourself -- I mean do you have to constantly, I guess, look over your shoulder at what's coming toward you?
GIVENS: Yes. I definitely have to constantly look around because cars are coming for me at every angle. So I definitely have to do that.
COOPER: Do you find people react to you differently when they see you running backwards than if you were running forwards?
GIVENS: Well, yes. The ones that see me on a consistent basis, they greet me with smiles and cheers, you know. But the people that don't see me as often, they think maybe I'm crazy or something the way I be running.
COOPER: But you're not crazy. We just want to get this out clearly for everyone to know. You're not crazy.
GIVENS: Oh, no, no.
COOPER: You just enjoy doing it. Does it exercise different muscles?
GIVENS: Yes, it's the back muscles on my calves, my Achilles and when I turn around forward, it feels like I haven't even been running.
COOPER: Now, you also run in races, I know, and you do pretty well. Do you run backwards in races or do you run forwards?
GIVENS: No, it's all about time in races. You know, I run -- basically in races it's for the time. And I run forward.
COOPER: So if someone at home wanted to do this -- and I'm really not sure why they would -- but in case, if they did -- you never know with people -- what would you recommend?
GIVENS: Well, I would start on a track. I wouldn't start in the street like I run, because a lot of people just don't have the balance and the awareness of where you're going. So I would start on the track first. But it's a difference, you know? It's, it takes away the agony of knowing that how far you're going to run. It's just, I just have more fun, that's all I can say.
COOPER: That's true. I guess you don't have any idea how far you're going to run and you only know how far you've already run, which is...
GIVENS: Exactly.
COOPER: ... a sense of accomplishment. That's good.
Cedric Givens, good luck to you.
Keep on running backwards.
And appreciate you joining us.
Thanks very much.
GIVENS: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
