Original Gangsters Of Running (Patti Catalano Dillon)

Just in case you don’t know: she was the first American woman to run a marathon in less than two and a half hours, when she finished second to Grete Waitz, with a time of 2:29:33, in the 1980 New York City Marathon.

Okay, Jack, here you go. Pleased as peaches I made the cut. I love the gangster bit.

When did you start running and why?
I started running on March 28th, 1976.

Although initially I started running to lose weight, what I really wanted was some kind of fulfillment or purpose.

I started something called the BE NICE TO PATTI CAMPAIGN, which meant that I would go back to the happiest time in my life, which was when I was a kid, running and biking around Hough’s Neck.

On my way to work one day, I saw a book that caught my eye, called Aerobics by Dr. Ken Cooper. I bought it, skimmed it, and saw that “jogging” would burn the most calories. 

I followed Dr. Cooper’s advice and wore my most comfortable clothes, which happened to be Earth shoe knockoffs, daisy dukes, a neoprene belt, and three heavy sweatshirts. I went to Quincy Cemetery and “jogged” seven laps around the graveyard, which turned out to be seven miles.

I was so sore I couldn’t move the next day, and I couldn’t run for two weeks, but as soon as I had recovered I did it again. 

What was your best stretch of running?

April ’80 to April ’81.

How did you manage to get to that level and stay there for that long?

I had one thing on my mind – win Boston. Every workout, every sit-up, every push up, every step, I breathed to win. And it was the best fun I ever had.

Biggest disappointment and why? 

I was raging, I got fuckin’ second in Boston again.

Confess I thought her answer lacked clarity and so I asked Patti what year she was talking about. You could almost hear her brain shout silently, what year?!!! You have to ask, what year? WHAT YEAR?!!!

I got second three times straight.  1979, 1980, 1981.  The second time was maddening to me.  I didn’t know Jackie [Gareau] was ahead until 24 miles…..I ran out of room..and it was the [Winning Imposter] year anyway.
The ’81 race, I smashed into a horse’s hindquarters at Cleveland Circle. Allison [Roe] passed me. I finished second with a PR 2:27:52.

Toughest opponent and why?  My anxiety.  I had a panic attack during the Falmouth Road race in 1979.  Joanie [Benoit] passed me towards the finish though I finished ahead of Julie Brown.  

Most memorable run and why?   

I’ve had many.  The most memorable run I still marvel about.  I was training and couldn’t take the slant of the road, the uphills or the downhills or pavement.  I ended up running a three-hour run on a baseball field.  Spelled my name, wrote the alphabet, ran numbers, you name it, I ran.

What would you do differently if you could do it again?  Why?   

WIN BOSTON!  So I could stop correcting people when I’m introduced as a WINNER OF THE BOSTON MARATHON!

I’ll be honest. I kinda thought you’d won Boston once. Seems only right.

Special song of the era? 

Queen ” We are the Champions” 

What was your edge? 

I squared up on my opponents. An attitude of go ahead…beat me…I dare you.

Jack.. I went into a race believing I would win.  The only way I’d  lose, I thought was that you would have to take it from me.  And I wasn’t going to let that happen.  I was ready to spit blood. I may not win,  but I wasn’t going to get beat .

Favorite comedian?

Lucille Ball….I love her. I identified with her antics because she got into a mess seemingly innocently. And it was always righted in the end.

Favorite philosopher?  Quote? 

“Ability is of little account without opportunity.”  Showing up is the first step to winning.

Okay. Thank you, Jack. Thanks for the memories. Isn’t that a quote?

Thank you, Patti.  Cross at the light.

Hey, did you hear Tommy Leonard passed last night? 

Running community is getting dim.

Tommy was definitely an Original Gangster Of Running.

Dim now but once we shined.

And shine we did..huh? The best.  People have no idea.

I ran with Billy [Rodgers]…we won races together..he watched out for me.  When I was homeless,  he helped me .  When I got on my feet, he rented me a car for a month.

I did track workouts at BC [Boston College] with – now – the who’s who of distance running.  At the time it was all normal. Now I look back and ‘whoa.’

I remember you being a bit intense at times.

Ohhh, I was intense. LOL. Well, I was a student. so much to learn. Remember, I never even heard of the Boston marathon.  Then come to find out after I said I wanted to run it, it was 26.2 miles long.  I felt stupid,  thinking, what the heck did I get myself into?

The marathon, hills, intervals, track workouts,  What’s the difference between 10km and ten miles. Who knew? And why a 15k?

I was just a girl who lost fifty-two pounds (52 lbs.) and, a few months after she started running, ran and qualified for Boston, winning her first 26.2 mile race. A  2:53:40 in Newport, RI.

And then just got better and better. Faster and faster.

Addendum. That’s Latin for Patti didn’t expect to see that photo above so she felt compelled to tell me about it.

Well, as we now know, I ran into the hindquarters of a mounted police horse.  Tom Derderian caught me and passed me along to Paul Oberowski, both GBTC runners.  I was badly bruised and hurt my shoulder, arm and ribs.  I didn’t fall down.. I had the wind knocked out of me.  By the time I gathered myself to breathe, Allison passed me and I had only one thought  after I shouted NOOOO!  in my head.. Close the gap!

After I crossed the finish line, I was disappointed but was ready up for another year of banging it out.  I was going to win this race come hell or high water, even if it killed me.

 I was met by my coach.  He was sorely disappointed I had finished second…again.  I tried to explain, I had smashed into a horse at Cleveland Circle.  There was only enough room for one runner to pass at a time..and BOOM…He shook his head and said to me, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO WITH YOU! 

Those words hit me at my core…my heart was pierced…I stumbled down to the Pru garage and sat on the lip of a platform of the nearest doorway.  Dave Cowens, center for the NBA Celtics, came down the the driveway about two minutes later and picked me up like a doll and told me I did great!  
I almost cried.

A short time later I walked out of the garage under the escort of two Boston policemen.  As we were crossing the street to get me out of the finish line area to the interview area, one cop said to the other,,,”stop those girls…get them back”.  I looked up to where he was gesturing to and I said…”no, no..I know them. They’re my sisters”. There they were climbing over the  fencing barriers and running up the chute. 

Now I hadn’t seen them for years.  My little sister was  now 12…when did she get so big.  I was surrounded by my three of my four sisters and they said almost in unison…WE LOVE YOU PATTI! Now I never, ever had that said to me by any member of my family EVER!  And after a marathon and the smashing into the horse my emotions were a tad wired tight. It was enough for me to cry…and cry I did.

The photographer snapped a picture.  It’s one of my favorite pictures because it captured the day. And its the only picture I have of my sisters.
My life changed because what I wanted wasn’t winning the Boston marathon..I was already the fastest in America. The second fastest in the world. What more could I possibly want.

I had been chasing love. And it came up right at me in the chute.

On The Run With Patti Catalano

https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a20796718/a-chat-with-patti-catalano-dillon/