Norm Green trained the way he did because he could physically handle it. He was fortunate in that respect, I doubt that training this way made him faster. Most runners who tried it that I knew, including me, crashed and burned. But even with balanced training we all did crazy things because we could. Not because it helped.
Green is one of the greats of our sport regardless of how he got there.
I read his bio through the link on the previous page and noticed Norm was VERY religious. I see a correlation between fanatical practices and hardcore training... either on the eccentrically religious side of the spectrum or on the general eccentric side.
TrackCoach wrote:
Norm came from an era where how hard you could train was a much of an accomplishment as racing. In the 70s, road racing was truely a niche and almost cult like sport, training hard, racing hard and frequently was normal. Local 5k road race times on average were faster than they are today. The road races were cheap, with cheap t-shirts, cheap medals and you only had a water stops on hot days for 5ks and there were as many 5 milers and 10ks as 5ks.
I use to run some 5ks in NJ that didn't have timing clocks and your award could be a can of pork & beans, yet you would have a half dozen guys running in the 15s. This is not a joke!
Would that have been one of Browning Ross's races? I LOVED his races! Fun, low-key, good humored.
While road races have gotten pretty expensive, you can still find throwbacks if you look. Mostly they're held by running clubs. Sadly, one of my favorite Philly races, formerly the Phila. Distance Run, was sold to Competitor and the price more than doubled.
As for Norm Green, he hosted this year's Mid-Atlantic USATF awards luncheon (Jan.), as he's done for quite a while, but he is retiring from that job, so was honored for his contributions to the running community around here. He mentioned that day that he just walks now.
He's definitely one of my running heroes. Not only has he accomplished amazing things as a runner, but he's a true gentleman!
He started his running career late and didn't hammer away from ages 17-45 and that makes a major difference when you are old. Fresh legs.
So, you're saying he ran his 4:24 mile in college at the age of 16 years old or younger?
As someone who has gotten to know Norm a little over the years, he is truly a great human being. You couldn't ask for a kinder, more outgoing, genuine ambassador for our sport. It is a shame that he couldn't keep going on like Ed Whitlock, but his records and legacy in this area will be around for a very long time.
Old lady runner wrote:
TrackCoach wrote:Norm came from an era where how hard you could train was a much of an accomplishment as racing. In the 70s, road racing was truely a niche and almost cult like sport, training hard, racing hard and frequently was normal. Local 5k road race times on average were faster than they are today. The road races were cheap, with cheap t-shirts, cheap medals and you only had a water stops on hot days for 5ks and there were as many 5 milers and 10ks as 5ks.
I use to run some 5ks in NJ that didn't have timing clocks and your award could be a can of pork & beans, yet you would have a half dozen guys running in the 15s. This is not a joke!
Would that have been one of Browning Ross's races? I LOVED his races! Fun, low-key, good humored.
While road races have gotten pretty expensive, you can still find throwbacks if you look. Mostly they're held by running clubs. Sadly, one of my favorite Philly races, formerly the Phila. Distance Run, was sold to Competitor and the price more than doubled.
As for Norm Green, he hosted this year's Mid-Atlantic USATF awards luncheon (Jan.), as he's done for quite a while, but he is retiring from that job, so was honored for his contributions to the running community around here. He mentioned that day that he just walks now.
He's definitely one of my running heroes. Not only has he accomplished amazing things as a runner, but he's a true gentleman!
Yelp, it was a Browning Ross race and the can of pork & beans was the best choice among other awards. I can't believe I use travel over an hour to run in a race with no clock, t-shirt and the awards could range from can of soup to a bic razor.
Browning Ross, Norm Green, Ed Whitlock--these guys embody class and humility as well as achievement. I had a chance to meet BR and Norm--just see Ed Whitlock's posts here, but like how accommodating he is in talking about his training, giving advice. As for Browning Ross (whom I met early in my running days, so my running knowledge was limited anyway), I didn't know for several years that he had run in the Olympics. And I didn't learn it from him but from a friend.
Three runners who have stayed grounded, kept it real.
Is there a rule against attaching a helium balloon to yourself while running a road race?
Am I living in the twilight zone? The Boston Marathon weather was terrible!
How rare is it to run a sub 5 minute mile AND bench press 225?
Move over Mark Coogan, Rojo and John Kellogg share their 3 favorite mile workouts
Mark Coogan says that if you could only do 3 workouts as a 1500m runner you should do these
Jakob Ingebrigtsen has a 1989 Ferrari 348 GTB and he's just put in paperwork to upgrade it