Running Club from the 80's

he did a 3:46, 1500M the summer after high school? I never heard that....how did his career go from high school to retirement?

...I'm not sure what happened to Medvin in the long-term. He was an amazing young talent, but didn't quite seem to live up to the enormous potential that he possessed.

I know that he joined the distance running tradition (Aldridge, Schankel, Rios, etc.) up at Cal Poly SLO, but I believe his best times were somewhere around 3:45 and 14:17.

Greifinger would have rather won his hometown race, The Pacific Palisades 10k on the 4th of July, than win the Olympics! (he did win it once). He lived for that race! Everytime I saw that guy in the 15 years since we both ran in the 70s/80s; he was still wearing a SMTC T shirt everywhere he went.....Yikes...buy a shirt or 2, Dave!

Med ran at SLO one year, and then left when Steve Miller left. Then went to Glendale CC for a year or two (mostly injured) then ran at Indiana University for Sam Bell, and I believe he might have run as fast as 3:44 outdoors. After high school was very injury proned, and never came close to his potential, shown by winning California State mile two years in a row, and a 3:46 for 3rd in the USATF Jr. meet after senior year.

How many can you name?

Coach Bob Maplestone

John Freeburg

Russ Smith

I remember Bob Maplestone, sub 4 minute miler from Eastern Washington. I saw him win the NAIA Indoor mile, in Kansas City, back in 1972.

Paul Medvin ran 4:05.3 as a senior. The fastet mile that year, "79." Vince Draddy(Iona, NY) was next at 4:05.4. Medvin also ran a 4:05.6.

Vince Draddy had the top 2 1500's with 3:44.6 & 3:45.2. Medvin had the second best time with a 3:46.4 for 1500.

I remember Paul Medvin from University High. He would introduce hmself as "Paul Medvin, 4:05 miler." The '78 Mt. SAC XC race with Nelson, Assumas, Medvin, and Jeff Hess of South Eugene was probably THE best HS XC race I've ever seen.

Merle Burnout Squad wrote:

Ghost of Ashenfelter,

I believe that there was a friendly rivalry between you and Reuben Haro.

Also one of your quotes is still being talked about. During the Oly Trials, Irwin asked you why you were sitting on the opposite side of the track and you replied, "Because you are sitting on this side of the track."

Indeed, although I think it beat him more than he beat me. He ran faster, though. I used to take pride in beating Joe's guys.

As for the Irwin quote, did I really say that? I'm proud to take credit, 'cause it's damn funny.

I was talking to my high school team a couple of days ago about the notion of running being "fun," and that while I love the sport I could only recall a handful of runs that I would classify as "fun." Seems like most took place with SMTC. One was a workout with Clyde Matsumura in which he spent the last mile racing a city bus, stop-start-stop-start, until the workout ended. I was laughing so hard I had to jog. Maybe you had to be there, but good times.

During his Sophomore and Junior year, Paul Medvin had a nemesis named Ray Harrington from Santa Monica High School. Everytime they met, they would argue who was the better runner. Ray had about has much talent as Paul. Ray defeated Jeff Nelson in the CIF frosh/soph 2 miles when they had had CIF finals for frosh/soph. Ray also defeated Jeff Atkinson during their competition in league meets. Unfortunately Ray burnt out at the end of his Junior year and did not race as a Senior.

SMTC also had the fastest Asian American distance runner during the 80's in Ron Gee, a 2:18 marathoner and also finished 20th at the trials in 1988.

Ghost,

I think that's what made the group successful at the time. People were training very hard, but they were also enjoying it. If I remember correctly, it was at that time that you first started enjoying eating sushi, but it took a few beers to get you going. Also weren't you the one that used to hurdle the hood of cars as they were merging onto San Vicente?

As for Clyde, he had that Clint Eastwood reputation at that time, since his training partners never lasted long.

I still see Reuben, he just runs to keep in shape now. We always laughed that Reuben improved the first year after he switched from Merle to Joe, since he finally got some rest and had some fresh legs. But I believe after the first year he went back to his normal times.

One of the other things about the club was that, as I recollect, they did a vast majority of their running on softer surfaces. Santa Monica/Palisades park, San Vincente Blvd., etc. In a city that is nothing but asphalt, they went out of their way to make sure most runs were on grass (aside from the track work obviously).

Although not a member of SMTC, there was a stud woman, Lynn Hill, who ran for SMCC under a woman coach (before John the one armed guy, and Tommie Smith). Lynn used JUCO XC and track as a sidelight to her mountain climbing.

Yes,

Lynn Hill a world class rock climber did run for Santa Monica College. She was recruited by Anna Biller who also coached her at the time. I believe she did not compete after that.

Tommie Smith was the head track and cross country coach for Santa Monica at the time, but he usually had his assistants do the coaching, for most of the 80's it was Merle McGee for the distance runners on the track.

do Joe and merl's group still do track work at SM college and distance work at Palisades Park? I was back in LA for the first time in 15 years, a few years ago, and was surprised to see how few runners were running in Palisades Park, as opposed to the 70's and 80's.....has there been a big drop or did I just catch a slow day?

Merle's training consisted of track workouts on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Have a tempo or interval workout on Saturday, semi-long on Sunday. Wednesday and Friday are the only rest days. This went on from the Fall to the Spring. During the summer he would be off in Europe with Johnny, so he would give every group individual workouts. Wrote each workout down on a lined sheet of paper. We'd always look at it and think, "Is he nuts!!!", until we realize that it was easier than the workouts he was giving us in person. I was one of the lucky ones that did not suffer to many injuries, but have been very sore plenty of times, so much so that I had to go down the stairs backwards since the muscles were so fatigued.

Merle Burnout Squad wrote:

During his Sophomore and Junior year, Paul Medvin had a nemesis named Ray Harrington from Santa Monica High School. Everytime they met, they would argue who was the better runner. Ray had about has much talent as Paul. Ray defeated Jeff Nelson in the CIF frosh/soph 2 miles when they had had CIF finals for frosh/soph. Ray also defeated Jeff Atkinson during their competition in league meets. Unfortunately Ray burnt out at the end of his Junior year and did not race as a Senior.

SMTC also had the fastest Asian American distance runner during the 80's in Ron Gee, a 2:18 marathoner and also finished 20th at the trials in 1988.

Jeff Nelson won the Div AAA title for frosh/soph as a soph(Jeff started running as a soph)in 9:28.

Was Ray Harrington in another division? Did Ray have a faster time?

Not in the frosh/soph race were Frank and Chuck Assuma. Frank won the state meet in 8:52.9 and Chuck was 6th in 9:01.5. Chuck ran 8:55.4 to win the sectional. Both Sophs!

Old School,

Joe only has a couple of runners at this time. Merle retired a few years ago and moved to Leisure World near Long Beach. There definitely are less runners on Palisades Park, unless you catch it on the weekend where various marathon training groups are out, AIDS, Team In Training, LA Leggers, etc.

LA Jogger,

Yes I believe that Ray would have been in another Division, probably for larger schools. If I remember my history correctly, as it was passed down to me, Ray ran around 9:26 if not faster.