Ted Corbitt

Actually I thought he was going to die in 1969 when I first saw him in the precursor to the NYC marathon called the Cherry Tree in the Bronx. I had just turned 20 and started with 5:45 miles on this course that had out and back sections.

When I saw an old guy running with drooping eyes and an agonized look on his face in the first lap, I thought to myself that he can't make it. I thought that they should not let old guys run marathons because they might die.

Of course it was me who died, got droopy eyes, and an agonized look on my face while every lap Ted Corbitt, like Godzilla of nightmares, got closer and closer.

My log book shows I finished 8th in 2:42 with Ted Corbitt an arms length behind. He taught me lots of lessons that day: never underestimate old guys and never look back.

Thank you Ted Corbitt, you were one of the inspirations for the miles I logged for the next decades.

Tom

Huge shoes, that will never be truly filled. A Man who left his mark and will be remembered.

God Bless You Ted Corbitt.

As a UK newcomer to the Canada/NE USA scene in the early 1960's I heard much of Mr Corbitt.He was always known as a runner's runner.He was an inspiration to many,his mileage exploits were legendary.I was truly amazed when I read his biography "Corbitt",written by John Chodes for TAF News.

UK runners of the old days will remember Ted as having some

great battles in the famous ultra London to Brighton classic where ran many second places in the 1960's.

Truly a great American Champion.Our sincere condolences to his family and close friends,who would be legion,and we will keep his memory as a life well lived.

Tom--I ran that same race, and, given your time, at 22 miles I must have been about ten minutes behind you, at which point terrible leg cramps did me in. A van picks me up and brings me back to the clubhouse, and Vince Chiappetta starts trying to massage the cramps away. Ted Corbitt is watching this and apparently thinks Vince is not doing a good enough job, so he comes by and takes over. I was still in my teens, and Ted Corbitt, who I knew about but of course did not know, an Olympian, was rubbing my legs! At road races here and there I got to know this man of great dignity and principle. Once again, the light has gone out of the world.

When I began in 1977 he was already a legend. Being a kid, I looked at him as just some old guy, but the more I read the more impressed I was. Great man.

When he is gone

bury him deep

put his running shoes

back on his feet

pull a singlet

oer his head

let him run forever

he was our inspiration - Ted

I knew his son Gary and he often e-mailed me stories about his dad. We are sorry about your loss Gary. Your dad will be remembered in our prayers.

A real gentleman, very soft spoken, humble, and always generous with his time. One of the nicest people I have ever met. I am glad I had the pleasure to meet him and run with him.

My condolences to his Son Gary and the rest of the Corbitt family.

I have met few men more humble, more honest, more committed. Running has lost a loving, driven man who shared his love of our sport with anyone who let him know they were interested. I am better for having met Ted. Ted's contribution to our sport is larger than words can cover. On to the next race, Ted you have always been up for the challenge.

Glenn

For those that want to see...

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=%22Ted+Corbitt%22&gbv=2

and learn more about Ted...

http://www.distancerunning.com/inductees/1998/ted.html

http://www.ultrarunning.com/ultra/features/profiles/ted-corbitt-an-ultrarunni.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Corbitt

If you want to read a really inspirational book, get a copy of "Corbitt", by John Chodes.

Chodes was a good friend and a NY Pioneer Club teammate of Ted's.

This book will give you some insight of the love, dedication, and drive that Ted had for long distance running.

Patti,

What a truly sweet and sentimental remembrance of Ted Corbitt...so kind of you to share..Tom Derderian, same to you...in fact Tom, first time I had a hands on with Ted Corbitt was Philly Marathon, like 1971ish, and, as I seem to recall, you were looping the Schuykill River with us that day as well...bottom line is, we lost a truly great one today...amazing how many of us he touched "back in the day"...amazing just how he put SO much more back into our sport than he ever ever took...I'd like to hope that we can give back even 1/10th as much as he did.

warm regards,

MF

Through a very close friend who is an ultrarunner, I had the privilege of meeting Ted on a couple of occasions. With someone of his illustrious running background, at first I was a bit timid as others mentioned, but that soon gave way as I came face to face with his great humility and class. One would expect someone of his illustrious background to have so many people he's met that it would be hard to remember everyone. Yet he remembered me each time I encountered him.

He's a class act as well as a great runner!

RIP and condolences to his family.

Hoping some kind of race or fund could be set up in his memory.

Run in van cortlandt or central park,philly ,boston. He will always be there.

God Bless Him.

NYTimes- Ted Corbitt, a Pioneer in American Distance Running

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/sports/othersports/13corbitt.html?

Not only was he a fine person in all the ways other posters have mentioned, he was also great to work with on courses and certifications.

I was the lead measurer for the 1980 trials, and it was Ted who signed off on my work. A couple of weeks before the Trials, I was out on the course and noticed some sewer construction which looked as though it might cross one of the little streets in a residential area that had had to be added to make the course come out.

I devised a plan in case there was short-notice construction, like the day before, and sent it to him. He responded with a detailed letter, commenting on possibilities and strategies and what the best solution might be. And he suggested more than one, too. This little potential problem got his full attention.

Before that I only knew him as the guy who OKd your courses. After that I began to realize how exceptional he was.

I didn't meet him until he was inducted into the Distance Running Hall of Fame, which was about 20 years later. He remembered our exchange.

This, from one of the linked stories, is incredible:

"Ted Corbitt at age 84, never ceases to amaze the running and non-running community alike. In an official 24 Hour race held in Queens, New York City, this past weekend (Nov. 8-9) to honor one of his great achievements, Ted walked, with no significant rest breaks, a distance of 68.93 miles. The temperature dipped to 30F, or just below freezing, and colder than that with a stiff wind chill in our faces coming out of the north....

I forgot just how challenging and difficult a 24 hour race is, not having done one in many years. But having done many other ultra-marathons including multi-day races, I felt that I could handle this race even though I was not properly trained for it specifically. To stay on the course, which in this case was a quarter mile rubberized track, for the whole 24 hours when your body would naturally want to sleep at night and you’ve run or walked usually much more than a mere 26 mile marathon already, is a challenge not many runners dare to face.

To be in such a race to honor Ted and to be running and walking with him personally in the race was an opportunity and an honor too great for me to pass up. I ran in this particular race which was administered by the Broadway Ultra Society, or B.U.S., ten years ago to honor the 20th Anniversary of Ted’s 24 Hour American Record he set at the age of 54. This time, ten years later, the race celebrated the 30th Anniversary of that same achievement. But now ten years older, Ted still walked the whole time. Out of 35 participants, Ted placed 17th and was by far the oldest participant at age 84."

68.93 miles in 24 hours at age 84?!?

Just reading about his range of accomplishments AND the selflessness and devotion to serving his (running) community makes it clear that Corbitt was one of those rare individuals who emerge now and then and force us to deploy words such as "hero," "angel," "enlightened being," "bodhisattva," and the like. An inspiration, from any and all angles.

"all you need are a cheap pair of shoes and some time"

THAT'S minimalist with a vengeance.

If you watch the film Marathon Man carefully, there is a book on Babe's (Dustin Hoffman's character) desk.

Corbitt: The Story of Ted Corbitt, Long Distance Runner

by John Chodes

(Tafnews Press, 1974)

It's long out of print, but I located a copy via the state library system.

Well worth reading. He was ambitious about his running, to say the least.

I won't forget where he talks about just getting back into training in Prospect Park and no one is running, save for one other guy who turns out to be an Olympian, as well. Non-track running was just that rare a sport back in the day.

I never met Ted, though I feel I've known him for a half century. I graduated from a small college (Iowa Wesleyan) in 1957 and was a very average runner...and that is stretching it. I joined the University of Chicago Track Club (my home town) and with Ted Haydon got interested in an entirely new level of training and running. Soon, I was given the name of Browning Ross (former distance running great) who was publishing a little mimeographed newsletter called the Long Distance Log .... from the basement of his home in New Jersey. He tried to obtain results from Road and Track races for his little publication and would occasionally write a short article about training or different people.

On one occasion (late 1950's or early 1960's) he wrote about Ted Corbitt and asked people to send in money to help with Ted's expenses to compete in the London to Bath 52 miler. I remember sending him $5 just because I was in awe of anyone who could run that far.

Several months later I got a nice thank you note from Ted. On the cover of one of the following issues of the Long Distance Log, was a picture of Ted...running the London to Bath trial. I was shocked. He was black. In those days and in my rather naive/sheltered midwest upbringing, I didn't know one black athlete who ran farther than the 3K Steeplchase

I ultimately obtained my Ph.D. degree (Univ. of Iowa) and spent the following 50+ years in coaching long distance runners (Eastern Illinois University) and teaching exercise physiology. In the mid 1960's I met David Costill (internationally famous endurance researcher at Ball State) and we became good friends. He told me about testing Ted in their well respected laboratory at BSU. At that time, all of Ted's running was done in "Hush Puppy" shoes (they had a steel shank and made for great support. Costill determined that the weight of the shoes was costing Ted at least 2% of his O2 consumption and finally convinced him to try some of the new light weight competition shoes (Tiger...I think?) that were just coming on the market. Ted seemed excited at the opportunity to improve on his successes, just by changing shoes. I have no knowledge as to what he wore in later years.

I wish I had been given the opportunity to meet this fine man. But in a way, I think I already know him.

Thanks to whomever...for acknowledging his life..and his passing.

Tom Woodall Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus....Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, IL