Boston Marathon: 1979 vs Today? (continued)

Tom,Bill and Patti just this spring>

http://www.pattidillon.com/page10.html

TF,

Sleep is very important for a runner eh? I still have nightmares about you waking me up in the morning when we were down in Miami Fla.

"Hodgie, Time for your medicine, tap, tap, tap" and out the door for an a.m. 10-14 mile run.

PS: Geoff Pietch sent me a nice note a few years back, posted on my website "comments"

Hi Bobby, aka Hodgie-san,

Good to hear from you ... hope you and family are doing fine too!

The morning "medicine" was good my boy ... mad us strong, and able to run like bull! Did you love the 14 mile AM - 10 mile PM

training run combo?

I often think about our travels and fun times in Eugene, Tokyo, Ohme, Boston, Falmouth and NYC ... those are great memories with great rivals and great friends!

TF

Neil won in 1974 .. and some shmock from NJ got beat again ... they erected Neil a statue of his likeness in Limerick City ... ha-ha, I just can't quite see that happening in Bloomfield, NJ if I'd run a better race by 30 secs!

TF

Tom,

Phil Stewart wrote about the Atlantic City marathon

Snip to follow

Though many of the top runners expressed misgivings about the TAC club proposal, there was no rush to sign up for Atlantic City. By race day, one one runner of note--Tom Fleming, a 2:12 marathoner from Bloomfield, NJ--had declared himself a professional. For anyon who was hoping for a marathon spectacle on the scale of Boston, New York, or Honolulu, the event was a failure. The lack of either massive numbers or name competitors (except Fleming) was compounded by weather which was hardly conducive to inspired running. It was the first day of fall, but the air was steamy, with the temperature on the boardwalk reaching the 80's. Fleming dropped out at 18 miles--victim of dehydration and an infection--paving the way for Nabers, a 2:19 marathoner, to claim the $15,000. Joe League, a local Atlantic City runner with a 2:20 best, picked up $4000 for his 2:32:16 second-place effort. Hugh Sweeny, a longtime regular in New York City races, delighted the race critics by jogging and clowning his way to fight place, 3:05:48, and a $1000 check. Fifth place woman Susan Cooper of Arlington, VA, received the last of the women's cash prizes (which were equal to the men's at $15,000-4000-3000-2000-1000) for her 3:25:25 time.

Memories of the race?

Hugh Sweeny, of the Warren St Drinking and Running Club

antics????.... Clowning around??????? ,not Hugh LOL??

Keep this thread going will you folks? ...c'mon, you all are the ones who got me out the door way-back-when. You know, 5 a.m. in south Jersey, pouring rain, dark, and I pull on the Elite flats for a before-work 6 miler, just cause I knew some Boston runners would be doing it. Saying, I gotta see the Super Bowl on Sunday night, but first I gotta do this 16 miler, cause Jersey Shore is coming soon. It's not living in the past, not at all; it's trying to take advantage of the fun I had being a "runner" - you know, it IS an identity of sorts... anyway, keep the thread alive... good stuff, without a doubt.

TF-

Could you describe LFD-Long Fast Distance" in more detail? Was it fartlek or more tempo type running?

MF,

Most of my distance runs were generally sub 6 min. pace (althought starting off its 6:30-700 for the first 11/2 miles) .. and several times a week "pickup" miles along the way got down to 4:40 pace ... my best "pickup" mile was 4:31 on Broad St. in Bloomfield, on my old 10 mile loop! I did a 4:32 that same day in the afternoon workout! A runner I coached back in the 90's, Joe Lemay went for 'the record" one Saturday morning and just missed it (4:32) .. and he had NO speed at all ... you see my point in training was this... I never planned on racing slower than 5 min pace so why train there .... 2:12 was my marathon PB ... and longest training run was usually 2:10 on a Sunday morning and an easy 10 miles that night to get the legs right! High mileage worked for me ... not for everyone, but I was never scared of "dying" in any fast marathon race .. how could I die?

TF

Wineturtle,

It was all about the cash baby ... I had a sweet deal and I deserved it I think. The first race was a mess and I was isck, but had to support the Jordache show!!

The AAU/TAC system sucked for amateurs in the USA ... appearance fees under the table were wrong .. and we all knew it! Some could not give it up however .. and I don't blame them, so they didn't go along with my movement for open "pro" road racing .. i was ahead of the time i guess.

When I won LA Jordache Marathon in March '81 (2:13 Calif record until Carlos Lopes took it down in LA'84) it was an easy race for me and a great "payday" .. I had my own deal, not the advertized one on the entry blank.. this was my job and I took it seriously! I loved racing, I love running then, but always thought we were under paid and under appreciated by the press ... except in Boston!

TF

TF-

Good stuff. Simple, consistent, and highly effective. Thank-you for sharing your insight.

MF

TF,

Were you part of the group who got in some trouble for accepting money in some form that eventually forced the TAC training accounts. (Do I remember a name like the Philadelphia 6 or Atlantic City 8?)

Also, greetings from a Jersey boy (Westfield). I got into your store a few times back in the '80's, but being from the shore, it was off my beaten path - usually bought shoes from McLoone.

Wayne

TFFlyer wrote:

When I won LA Jordache Marathon in March '81 (2:13 Calif record until Carlos Lopes took it down in LA'84) it was an easy race for me and a great "payday" .. I had my own deal, not the advertized one on the entry blank.. this was my job and I took it seriously! I loved racing, I love running then, but always thought we were under paid and under appreciated by the press ... except in Boston!

TF

Did you pay taxes on the "advertised" deal, your own deal, or not at all?

TF,

Everything fine with me and I hope also for you. Remember this XC race? How was your day to day running then? When will we see your bio/book???:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=469267&page=0

When I rummage through my archives I just never know what I might turn up.

National AAU Championships Nov. 27, 1976

Belmont Plateau, Fairmont Park Phila., Distance 10,000 Meters.

Cloudy and overcast, Temp. 61 degrees. Course: Fast.

1. Ric Rojas Col. TC 30:23

2. Terry Cotton Jamul Toads 30:26

3. Jeff Bradley Reading Berks 30:27

4. Kirk Pfeffer Jamul Toads 30:33

5. Barry Brown Fla. TC 30:34

6. Mark Finucane E. Tenn. 30:37

7. Ted Castaneda Col. TC 30:38

8. Bobby Thomas Maccabi 30:40

9. Ed Mendoza Jamul Toads 30:41

10. S. Foster Fla. TC 30:41

11. Tom Fleming NYAC 30:43

12. George Malley Nitty VTC A 30:43

13. Bill Lundberg Chicago TC 30:44

14. Ronald Zarate Reno TC 30:47

15. Dave Harper Jamul Toads 30:47

16. John Gregorio Col. TC 30:49

17. Bob Hodge GBTC 30:50

18. Matt Centrowitz NYAC 30:50

19. Pete Squires NYAC 30:51

20. Ron Spiers NYAC 30:51

21. Charlie Vigil Col. TC 30:30:53

22. Herm Atkins Club NW 30:53

23. Tom Lux Jamul Toads 30:55

24. Randy Thomas GBTC 30:59

25. Morgan Fennell NYAC 31:01

26. Chuck Smead Ath. In Action 31:04

27. Don Timm Ath. In Action 31:05

28. Steve Flanagan Col. TC 31:07

29. Benji Durden Atlanta TC 31:07

30. Michael Bordell Col. TC 31:09

31. Byron Dyce Fla. TC 31:10

32. Hamilton Amer Summit AC 31:11

33. Kevin Foley Summit AC 31:11

34. Gary Cohen Athletic Attic NJ 31:13

35. Duane Waltmire Ath. In Action 31:15

36. Paul Stemmer Nitty VTC A 31:16

37. George Reed Seacoast Striders 31:17

38. Don Kardong Club NW 31:17

39. Steve Floto Col. TC 31:18

40. Dwight Kier Nitty VTC A 31:18

41 Ed Leddy Knoxville 31:18

42. Bruce Fisher Chicago TC 31:21

43. David Casillas Chicago TC 31:26

44. Dave Reinhart Athletic Attic NJ 31:27

45. Victor Elk USMC 31:29

46. Anthony Sandoval West Valley TC 31:30

47. Mike Slack Chicago TC 31:31

48. John Sharp Ontario 31:35

49. Steve Mahieu Wash. Running Club 31:36

50. Joel Majors Atlanta TC 31:36

51. Rick Albright Club NW 31:36

52. Scott Graham GBTC 31:36

53. Phil Meyer USMC 31:38

54. Tim Steele Shore AC 31:39

55. Keith Woodward Spur t moment TC 31:40

56. Jim Nuccio West Valley TC 31:42

57. Julio Piazza Phila. Pioneers 31:42

58. Bruce Baden Nitty VTC A 31:42

59. Bob Legge Ontario 31:43

60. Pat Tyson Club NW 31:43

Some great names in that list.....didn't Byron Dyce(and Trevor) run the 4x400 for Jamacia in the Olympics?

TFFlyer noses out malmo.................

Julio Piazza another guy going up in distance for this race?

Kardong,Benji,Slack,Centrowitz Spires Rick Rojas and still more.....really great cast here..

Truely the Golden Age of running.

Not to mention Don Kardong in 38th, 31:17 and Pat Tyson 60th in 31:43. It is interesting too that in the course description it says fast because I know the 5k at Belmont Plateau is anything but quick mainly because the infamous Parachute hill.

Those were the days .. you never knew who would win a race from week to week .. but you better get rolling fast and soon for sure!

TF

Month away

Did we not beat this thread to the death last year. Lets move on to another subject.

come around

we were faster then than you are now...

hurts a little don't it?