And that is why you cover track meets by phone...

People seldom get a window into what it's like to cover high school sports like the one afforded by the story of Ogden, Utah, shooter Ryan McGeeney.

"PROVO -- Ryan McGeeney served seven years in the Marines, including a six-month deployment in Afghanistan, but 10 minutes of photographing the state high school track championships proved to be more dangerous to him.

"... The Standard-Examiner photographer was struck below the knee by a javelin while shooting the discus event shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday, delaying the events while an ambulance pulled onto the track..."

" 'They don't have javelins in Afghanistan,' McGeeney joked after returning a few hours later to continue shooting photos of the track meet. 'That's where I'm lucky.' "

Some people would wince, but not those hardy Utahns. The thrower's coach told the AP, "One of the first things that came to my mind was, 'Good thing we brought a second javelin.' " 

One of the commenters on the newspaper's website also had to ask: "Did the javelin thrower get credit for the six miles the javelin spent in the ambulance?"

It's good to know there are still some people who keep their eyes on the prize.

Related:

Standard-Examiner photographer pierced by javelin but keeps on shooting (Roy Burton, Ogden Standard-Examiner)
Photographer speared by javelin at Utah meet (The Associated Press)