Attorney retires after a forty-two-year career and decides to clear out the storage room.
“What a trip down memory lane. As I unearthed this treasure trove of running history, I felt like Indiana Jones.”
Turns out I had a column in Women’s Track & Field World. A column about road racing and road racers. But only the ladies.
Don’t know how long I was on the masthead. I am guessing there was beer involved.
The New Testament Of The Sport
March 1983. On The Road Again
[Heavily edited for brevity. Shout outs to Joyce Smith, Ingrid Kristiansen, Julie Brown, Rosa Mota, Laurie Binder.]
I just put down the paper and as I commence my monthly column, I am bemused at this morning’s news. Alberto Salazar is charging Ollan Cassell and The Athletics Congress with offering the marathoner $60,000 (that’s sixty thousand or the number six followed by four zeros dollars U.S.) to run a particular event.
Ollan denies it, of course. He always does, ’cause after all, it is he who’s charged with protecting all you amateurs from the onerous burden of financial security. Ollan has done an estimable job with most athletes, particularly women. But occasionally one will get away. An athlete becomes solvent enough to buy a new car or even a house for his family.
We all know, like an iceberg, there is a lot more to the story than meets the eye. I can only hope that Alberto avoids serious trouble. He just might if he remembers how often the athlete’s welfare is overlooked in the struggle for power and money.
$60,000! I mean, golly, wow!! Offer the right woman that kind of reward and we should see the world record under 2:20 before you can say “IRA Account.”
Joan Benoit might run 2:19 without a financial carrot, based on her performance at the Rosemont Turkey Trot. (You may think this November 21 result is old news, but I’m still eating turkey croquettes). On a course that is supposedly certified, but about which questions remain, Benoit cruised to an “American record” 31:44 for 10K.
Opening with a 4:56 mile, the Athletics Wester passed 2M at 9:58 and three in 15:15 on her way to the first sub-32 by an American.
“I knew it was just a matter of time, that I was going to break 32:00,” Benoit admitted. “I knew this course was fast, so I figured if the weather was good, I could do it.”
A clear forty degree day was apparently fine.
We’ll just have to wait for awhile to find out exactly why the course is THAT fast.
Mrs. Waitz won the Race of the Americas 10K (Miami, January 15) in an extraordinary-for-anyone-but-Grete time of 31:22.
January 2, in Rome, Orietta Governatori actually WON the Sao Sylvestre Marathon with the pedestrian time of 3:24:42. There’s one event that wouldn’t be harmed by the advent of prize money. Perhaps Orietta’s dad was the race director and allowed no faster entries. Pardon my elitism, please. That’s just awfully slow to win any race.
Golly, it’s late. Gotta run. Cross at the light. Rotate your tires.
See you next month.
Thank you.