wrong again wrote:
Reasoner wrote:More accurate to say it makes no difference either way.
Wrong. Excessive running DOES shorten the lifespan. If all other variables are the same, you will live longer running 25 miles a week than you will running 90. This is science. Stop pretending the earth is flat.
Nope. You can't kill the same person twice which would be the only way to prove that. I've never pretended the World was flat. How'd you come up with that gem of moranity?
Tom was a great guy. I bumped into him a few times at races in NJ where he was a legend and stopped by the Running Room in Bloomfield when he owned the shop. Great story teller, and an animal of a runner. He will be missed.
broken arrow wrote:
Inspired many of us with his 140 mile weeks and fearless racing style.
I'd like to know more about his training. What did a 140-mile week look like back then for Tom while in marathon-training? e.g., What's the longest long run that he did on a weekly basis? What's the longest long run he did, ever (not as a race)? Did he have only 1 long run per week or two? What was his long run pace? Did he do singles mostly, doubles, or triples? Did he do 2-mile repeats, mile-repeats, or something shorter (like the way Kipchoge does 1200m repeats)?
Ran with him, really cool dude. RIP
Half-truth. It is glycolytic (carb-burning) running that produces oxidative by-products that lead to all kinds of health problems long-term. Fat-burning (slow running) plus judicious ATP-based sprints/power training are beneficial long-term.
wrong again wrote:
Reasoner wrote:More accurate to say it makes no difference either way.
Wrong. Excessive running DOES shorten the lifespan. If all other variables are the same, you will live longer running 25 miles a week than you will running 90. This is science. Stop pretending the earth is flat.
10 miles AM, 10 miles PM, 20 miler once a week, run at 6 minute pace with a couple of one mile pickups during run at sub 4:40 per mile pace. Most of his training was around 6 minute pace, or one minute per mile slower than his goal marathon pace. PR - 2:12:05.
Real strong man. He really wanted to win Boston, he lived for that.
So sad. Was just a young punk back then, but I love to hear the recollections. Here's a link to a thread Tom & a bunch from that era contributed to (including Bob Hodge, Tom Derderian, ....even Bastion Billy himself!)......
http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=967305
Above I edited the post so the link would work. Here is the thread the guy or gal was talking about that includes posts from Bob Hodge, Tom Derderian, ....even Bastion Billy himself).....
One of the greats from the amateur days who ran for the love of running.
Great tribute in your post there Joe. Thanks for sharing.
I lived in Montclair in the early 90's, and sometimes would see Tom and his bunch running on the weekends, no doubt doing longer & faster than I was.
I always admired him because it seemed his success was less due to innate talent than to pure hard work. Have to admire that.
65 is too young and I always am disturbed when a runner has a heart attack, but at least it was quick & happened while doing something he loved.
RIP.
As a runner who graduated high school in '74 and then went to college in Massachusetts, I knew of Tom and was fortunate to see him run Boston while I lived there. All of the top runners, Tom included, were my heroes, and it was a thrill to live vicariously through their exploits. RIP, Tom, and may memories of a great guy and fierce competitor keep his friends smiling broadly.
Patti, thank you for sharing your memories with us. You always exude love and peace when you share about your former running buddies from back in the day.
patti wrote:
Tom's passing is so sad for me and my family and the running community. He possessed a hilariously funny sense of humor sprinkled with truth. One of the hardest working runners ever. Always gave his all in everything he did...and politely asked for you to join him..."c'mon, whaddya got to lose, it'll be fun".
I remember he joined in fellow dyestaters and letsrun runners and former race officials for a local race at The Johnny Kelly race in CT. to help with water stations, We ended up doing, I think three, thanks to Tom. We surprised him with a b-day party. cake and all. It was the first time I ever saw him turn red.
He was an authentic enthusiastic person, runner, coach...but above all the biggest absolutely the biggest and most generous heart. He was a wonderfully delightful person to be around. Always encouraging and of course made you laugh.
He was one of the first runners to make change by running and winning the Jordache Jeans marathon and won 25K along with Cindy Dalrymple as the first woman winner. He surrendered his amateur status.
We traveled and ran is some of the same races...wonderful stuff..always egging on Billy ( Bill Rodgers). Playfully busting his chops.
There was one time we were all in Arizona training during the Winter months getting ready for Boston. We were at Billy's house. Of course, Billy is still sleeping and we were already to get going before it got too hot to go out for the morning run, We're all moaning and groaning waiting for him to wake up. Tommy taps on the bedroom door..."Knock, knock, knock...time to get up and take your medicine"...Billy is out in a flash and off we go....
RIP Tom. Love to you.
The Dillon's
http://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/2017/04/19/marathon-champ-tom-fleming-dies-while-coaching-meet/100676842/
Tom Fleming represented a time when in many ways running was more fun. You raced and sacrificed for the pure love of it. Today it is mechanical and commercial. And then the drugs. Sad for Tom's family and friends. Sad for the passing of that era.
Igy
Bobby1 wrote:
One of the greats from the amateur days who ran for the love of running.
Yet also one of the pioneers in professionalizing the sport.
TF Flyer, Tom Fleming, I best remember our time in that vacationing professor's house in South Miami in the winter of 1980. Tom and his wife Diane, pure NJ. Every single morning TF would run 15 miles and drag me with him through Coconut Grove with the Parrots squawking overhead. in the crushing heat and humidity of a Miami winter morning.
I woke up to TF's knocking on the door and then his voice, "Bobby, time for your medicine" By the time we got to the end of the first block TF was 2-3 steps ahead of me and there he generally stayed or other days I only tried to keep him in sight.
TF only stopped on a run to poop, I always hoped he would need to so I could catch a breather. Of course if I stopped for any reason TF was gone. Though just at the end of our run we would stop at a bridge crossing to look for Manatees that would congregate there.
The house had avocado trees which I thought were quite exotic and I tried them for the first time in my life and loved them. We would finish our runs and I would sit on the stoop for an hour staring into space with Pepsi and water and what-not and avocados.
TF would immediately off to the next thing making plans with Diane for the day. We had visits from other runners including Bill Rodgers, Kirk Pfeffer and Guenter Mihelke. We watched the Winter Olympics in the evenings including the USA Hockey Team victory.
We were dreaming our own Olympic dreams, that is why we had come to Miami, but now the boycott loomed. One day on our morning run I bonked and just started walking. TF never looked back. My mind was in a storm. "What am I doing here getting run off my feet every freakin day with no Olympics"?
When I got back I started packing up my Mustang and getting ready to drive home. TF just shook his head at me. "Carter ain't gonna stop this thing if the USOC has any balls. if they don't we just run Boston instead, I would rather win Boston than anything!"
On the weekend TF and Diane went to a race somewhere and I traveled to Jacksonville and won the River Run 15K. The hard effort was bearing fruit.
During our time in Florida we traveled to the Ohme 30K in Japan an awesome trip. In 1986 we traveled to New Zealand together, Tom and then wife Barbara and month old child Margo.
So many memories of TF who I last saw this past summer in Eugene at the Trials.See you down the road buddy.
In a career of moderate success my claim to fame was that i upset Tom in a NJ15k championship and I never let him forget it. The next week at the NJ xc championships he hammered me. I am older than Tom but he was my model on the training that had to be done. The glorius Sunday runs with Tom,Fred Best, Chip Sweeny John Garlepp,Bill Bragg,Tom Claddeck,Joel Pasternak. Earth lie lightly. You were an original and the world is a much smaller place today.
Bump!
