Abraham Maslow, one the biggest names in the field of psychology, became particularly famous in the 1960s for proposing the “hierarchy of needs” for humans, but he also advanced the contention that everybody is seeking what he called “peak experiences.”

Obviously, peak experiences are those that every human rank as unforgettable, exhilarating, even if they are brief. Good examples could be first-time orgasm in sex, watching a son or daughter excel in an artistic or sporting event or witnessing a phenomenal development personally.

I’ve had a few of these peak experiences, something that makes life worth living. Believe it or not, the one I’m recalling in this column occurred while I was just doing my job.

It was the spring of 2006 and I was covering the Division 2 track and field regionals. I was supposed to take pictures and write a story about what took place.

The 3,200-meter race among the top three female runners in the region and perhaps in all of Michigan caught my attention. The participants were Jessica Armstrong of Wayland, Rebecca Winchester of Middleville Thornapple Kellogg and Lori Burgess of Grand Rapids South Christian, all three solid runners with excellent reputations and competitive drives second to none.

The peak experience came to me when the three of them, locked in a tight race, came around the bend of the last lap, causing everyone in the stands to rise to their feet and enthusiastically applaud their efforts. The standing ovation was as fierce as the efforts turned in by the three runners seeking No. 1 regional honors.

As I readiied my camera for the approach of the trio, I suddenly realized that their last-gasp push, the crowd’s roar and the realization that something special was happening, I got good old-fashioned goose bumps. It wasn’t as though I had a dog in that hunt, it was standing back in awe, witnessing a special moment.

Armstrong won the race, and she and her two closest competitors distinguished themselves in subsequent years. Armstrong matriculated at the University of Missouri and Winchester and Burgess wound up on the nationally-ranked Grand Valley State University women’s cross country and track teams.

I was proud of myself, perhaps without justification, for nudging along Winchester’s career at GVSU, along with her younger sister, Allyson, who captured an individual national championship. I spotted Grand Valley coach Jerry Baltes at the Portage Invitational the following fall, when he was scouting for talent. I recommended Winchester and pointed her out. At the end of the meet, I saw Baltes chatting on the sidelines with Becca and her parents.

She came to Grand Valley in the fall of 2007 and a couple of years later was the No. 3 runner on GVSU’s national championship squad. She also excelled in the steeplechase. A few years after that, Allyson and Laker teammates took all the marbles again.

I may be overestimating my influence, but I sincerely don’t believe Baltes knew about Winchester until that day.

Even better, Winchester became good friends with my son Robby’s wife, Sarah, and every time the Youngs stop in Wayland they try to get together.

So this was a peak experience that indirectly led to something even better. And I learned I’m a real sucker for honest and solid effort in athletic endeavors.