Interview - Bill Rodgers, 4-Time Boston and NYC Marathon Champ

Nice interview... have met Bill several times and he is always great. Enjoyed his embarrassing moments among othe tidbits.

It's interesting how many races the top runners did back then since there wasn't prize money and they got by on under-the-table appearance fees. I think Patti Catalano won something like 44 of 47 races in a one year period around 1980 to 1981.

Seems back then the top runners simply ENJOYED racing more than they do now. These days it seems every time they step onto a starting line it's treated like a NASA liftoff to the moon.

Bill is the MAN ! He passed me at mile 9 of the hartford Half marathon last november. As he passed he said "nice pace keep it up". As I turned to see who was talking to me I was charged up! Thanks Bill I said and the rest of the race I was inspired as I tried to catch the aging Giant.

Not only is Bill Rodgers one of the best ever in US running history but he didn't blog, tweet, facebook about every random thought he had, including what he ate or didn't eat and or every mile he ran...he just let his performances do the talking....young talented guys should take notice..shhhhh.. JUST RUN!

Those things didn't exist

one other BIG difference wrote:

Not only is Bill Rodgers one of the best ever in US running history but he didn't blog, tweet, facebook about every random thought he had

Your slow

fleetfoot wrote:

Bill is the MAN ! He passed me at mile 9 of the hartford Half marathon last november. As he passed he said "nice pace keep it up". As I turned to see who was talking to me I was charged up! Thanks Bill I said and the rest of the race I was inspired as I tried to catch the aging Giant.

I raced Rodgers at Runner's Den (Phoenix) back in the early 1980's. He was first in our age group and I was second. He did not join the awards ceremony until he had signed his autograph for every person who had asked him for it.

Very classy guy.

Bill was a 'racing beast' back in the day... though as nice as ever afterward. There was a book that had other top runners quotes about when they raced Bill... Bjorkland, Durden and others attested to how Bill just put down the hammer in races with multiple surges and finally left them in his wake.

More Bill from back in the day:

http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/Rodgers/rodgers73log.htm

Truly priceless stuff - this is the stuff I sit down to peruse w/a cold beer and a nice chair. Inspirational. Thanx much.

Hodgie... when Bill and I spoke, he mentioned having his 1973 log on your website... I did note this in the interview I did with him. You should prod him a bit to put some more of his logs on your site - he indicated he wants to and it would be interesting to check out.

Trailrunnergary wrote:

Hodgie... when Bill and I spoke, he mentioned having his 1973 log on your website... I did note this in the interview I did with him. You should prod him a bit to put some more of his logs on your site - he indicated he wants to and it would be interesting to check out.

Working on it Gary. I have been nagging Bill for a long time and was happy to get the 73 log out there.

Hopefully there will be more. Keep up the good work with your site!