They did pretty kick ass in berlin, rocked the usa team, just a taste of things to come?
They did pretty kick ass in berlin, rocked the usa team, just a taste of things to come?
2:16, 2:18 and 2:24 are not kick-ass times since the 60s
I'm happy to be Canadian but dudes, our marathon team did not kick any butt. They all ran slower than the women's world record. Those times would win them some regional marathons in North America, maybe. One of them would qualify for the US Olympic Trials on his time. The others would be contenders in the women's race at London or New York.
The Canadian Nat record is still 2:10:08 by Jerome Drayton since 1975! Three time Fukuoka winner. Now there was an ass-kickin' Canadian Runner.
This is bullshit KYLE
BAIRU IS COMING.
Canadian's have surprised the running world before. Maybe it will happen again but it will take talent and a little work.
Canadians did not run 2:16 or 2:18 marathons in the 1960s. Before 1964 only one Canadian, Gord Dickson who ranked tenth in the world in 1959, had run under 2:24.
In the late 1950s and very early 60s we trained by doing intervals on dirt tracks in shoes that were pieces of rubber with some burlap and no heel or support. Most months we ran less than 200 miles for the month. We had not heard of the Lydiard system or 20 mile runs although two of my young teammates did beat Lydiard's best (Halberg and Snell) on one occassion each. Oh, and we had a lot of fun training together on the track each evening after work or school. There were no long runs. I do not remember hearing of a tempo run. But we really enjoyed our hobby. Some of us were very lucky to be running in that era.
My first marathon was in the Canadian Marathon Championship race in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec 48 years ago this weekend. I had done one run over about ten miles before that race. It was a 20 miler on a hot day three weeks before and, if I remember correctly, it nearly wiped me out. The weather that marathon race day 48 years ago was 92 degrees and it was very humid. I was second, first Canadian, in 3:01.
The next March (it was now 1962), on the first Friday of the month, I accompanied my clubmates to Chicago where they ran in an indoor track meet. There were many great indoor meets in those days. I stayed over until Sunday to run in the First Annual Chicago Windy City Marathon. Since there was a snow storm the night before, the course had to be switched to a two-mile stretch along the waterfront. The road surface was slushy and even a little icy in places. There were 15 sarters. Nine runners finished. The last runner to finish did so in 3:30:15. I won in 2:31:16.8 which made me the fourth fastest Canadian Marathon runner on the all-time list. I duplicated that time in Boston 6 weeks later and two years later the Canadian Marathon Running boom began. In 1964, 5 Canadians made the first 12 in the Boston Marathon (two were under 2:23) and I was knocked down to 9th on the Canadian all-time list. That's the way it was. Training and racing were great fun in those days but, although we were very serious about our sport, it was really only a hobby. And it was all great fun.
I love you, Orville!