Only raced against Ed once (at a Bobby Crim). The one thing that surprised me was how bounding & bouncy his running form was. Expected an old geezer to be super efficient/AKA shuffler; but no, Ed was quite the bounder.
Has Ed's running form been discussed previous to this?
Thanks. A deserved RIP to Ed.
What a class act and inspiration!
Well, I'm turning 60 this week, and I've lost a hero and role model second only to Pre. Godspeed, Ed!
Shook his hand at the 2011 Toronto Waterfront Marathon expo. That was my only encounter, but he was the star of the show. He seemed like a genuinely good person, and really fast old guy.
I'm of the firm belief after he passed yesterday morning that he met up with Terry Fox and the two of them went on the first of many runs they will now take together.
Ground Beef Chalupa wrote:
Shook his hand at the 2011 Toronto Waterfront Marathon expo. That was my only encounter, but he was the star of the show. He seemed like a genuinely good person, and really fast old guy.
I'm of the firm belief after he passed yesterday morning that he met up with Terry Fox and the two of them went on the first of many runs they will now take together.
Strange that I felt as though I knew him, though I did not. Run on, Whitlock, you inspired so many.
Go_Runner_Master wrote:
Crying my eyes out right now.
Really enjoyed all the kind words for our Hero.
Still crying here. You?
Allen1959 wrote:
That race was the first time I had ever seen Ed. He and his white hair finished nine minutes ahead of me. I've been a fan ever since. A sad day today. Very sad day.
Pretzel Man wrote:
Parkway 10K?
Yeah, Parkway 10K. I was 41, and Ed was 69. My wife had competed in the area for years before I met her, and told me who he was. Amazing to see him fly down the road with that mop of white hair and that fluid stride! He really inspired me to get back into shape. Well ... Ed along with the GBTC road marshals mocking my rotund physique that day. (Pretzel Man, you should post regularly on the 50+ thread ... been wondering how your HM went).
Was hoping 2017 would go a bit easier.
Such a shame - he wasn't just an outlier in performance. He was an incredibly independent minded runner who trained and raced his own way. Liked him for a lot of the same reasons I like Ryan Hall, vintage Alberto Salazar / Jim Ryun, etc.
I'm sure I'll be flamed for this because people won't understand my point. But here it is: Ed died from prostate cancer which is a very slow growing cancer. His last world record was set in late July/early Aug 2016 - less than a year ago. He was probably receiving treatment for his cancer at that time. From what I understand, most cancer meds/treatments are banned. USADA is notoriously difficult in granting TUEs especially to athletes who are winning national titles and setting records. Is CADP the same?
Before people go batsh*t crazy on this post, I am NOT being disrespectful to Ed and his legendary talent. If anyone would deserve to have a TUE granted it would be a man in his 80's with advanced cancer. I want people to think about the ridiculous TUE situation for older athletes with legitimate medical needs. Any informed opinions are welcome.
The December 2016 NY Times piece on Whitlock says "He takes no medication, only a supplement that may or may not help his knees."
It is very possible that he did not know he had prostate cancer then, and that a rapid decline in his health set in only after metastasis.
NYCMaster wrote:
The December 2016 NY Times piece on Whitlock says "He takes no medication, only a supplement that may or may not help his knees."
It is very possible that he did not know he had prostate cancer then, and that a rapid decline in his health set in only after metastasis.
This.. Basically if you are a guy and live long enough most likely will get prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is different. The standard treatment would be surgery, or radiation therapy, whether that be external beam, HDR, seeds, or a combination. Prostate cancer is singular in so far as chemotherapy is generally out of the question. One could also try hormone therapy in desperate situations, in which case that would be counter-productive to performance. If the horse was out the barn and stage 4 metastatic disease were present, one might treat the metastatic tumor sites with chemo agents. But that would be very end stage. There would be no performance enhancing element associated with this disease. And by the way, it may be slow growing, but it is invariably fatal if not diagnosed in a timely fashion.
Hellsbellz wrote:
I'm sure I'll be flamed for this because people won't understand my point. But here it is: Ed died from prostate cancer which is a very slow growing cancer. His last world record was set in late July/early Aug 2016 - less than a year ago. He was probably receiving treatment for his cancer at that time. From what I understand, most cancer meds/treatments are banned. USADA is notoriously difficult in granting TUEs especially to athletes who are winning national titles and setting records. Is CADP the same?
Before people go batsh*t crazy on this post, I am NOT being disrespectful to Ed and his legendary talent. If anyone would deserve to have a TUE granted it would be a man in his 80's with advanced cancer. I want people to think about the ridiculous TUE situation for older athletes with legitimate medical needs. Any informed opinions are welcome.
Condolences to his family and many friends, fans, and admirers. RIP.
Hellsbellz wrote:
I'm sure I'll be flamed for this because people won't understand my point. But here it is: Ed died from prostate cancer which is a very slow growing cancer. His last world record was set in late July/early Aug 2016 - less than a year ago. He was probably receiving treatment for his cancer at that time. From what I understand, most cancer meds/treatments are banned. USADA is notoriously difficult in granting TUEs especially to athletes who are winning national titles and setting records. Is CADP the same?
Before people go batsh*t crazy on this post, I am NOT being disrespectful to Ed and his legendary talent. If anyone would deserve to have a TUE granted it would be a man in his 80's with advanced cancer. I want people to think about the ridiculous TUE situation for older athletes with legitimate medical needs. Any informed opinions are welcome.
I am an oncologist and have treated many men with terminal prostate cancer. As a physician, runner, and tremendous fan of Ed's, I am happy to relieve your worry. Nothing used to treat prostate cancer would have given him any type of performance advantage. In fact, the agents we use for metastatic prostate cancer would have slowed him down - specifically, almost all of our agents act on the testosterone pathway and effectively biochemically castrate our patients.
It amazes me that Ed was able to perform at the level he did with metastatic prostate cancer, even though we all know he was special in so many ways. Prostate cancer is notorious for going to the bone and being excruciatingly painful. My patients often struggle to get out of the bed and/or wheelchair when the cancer is in its final stages. I can't imagine Ed had a very different experience but am absolutely not surprised that he still endured through his struggle. I hope he is able to rest easy now.
Just saw this column by Ed, dated just over a year ago. (full text pasted as a quote below the link)http://www.irun.ca/blog/index.php/we-should-expect-more-from-male-marathoners-over-70/
"We Should Expect More From Male Marathoners over 70"
By Ed Whitlock
February 12th, 2016
The Association of Road Race Statisticians keep world records for each age from five to 100 for the marathon and other distances. The world marathon record for men over 85 is 4 hours 55 minutes, this is huge falloff from the single age record for age 73 of 2 hours 55 minutes. The record for men over 90 is 6 hours 36 minutes. I am still the only man to run a marathon in less than 3 hours when over 70.
The 85 and 90-year-old records are soft. What are the reasons for this situation? I think the main reason is that very few men past 80 even attempt a marathon. Why is this? Largely because of society’s attitudes, it’s too difficult for people that old. Attitudes change over time, marathons used to be the domain of a few oddball runners at the extreme limits of endurance, now a strange mania has taken over where all kinds of people with little natural running ability have got it on their bucket list of things to do. As a bi-product of this, the numbers of 60-year-olds have greatly increased in recent years but not, so far, over 80’s. Greater numbers of participants would increase competition and the chances that a record setter would emerge.
As another example of current attitudes limiting participation, when I raced in the Rotterdam marathon at age 74, some of the elite Kenyan runners in their 20’s and 30’s couldn’t fathom why a person my age would be running a marathon and certainly not in the time I did that day—2:58:40, it blew their minds. What will it take to get the Kenyans to run when they are 70 or 80? There obviously needs to be a change in their mindset (plus I suspect some monetary incentive). When and if they do I am sure a number of the records will be broken.
Before the East Africans get around to running when they’re old, I think it more likely that elites from the developed world will run when they’re old and lead to record improvements. This has proved elusive so far as those who have tried to continue have generally succumbed to injuries that have impaired performance, e.g. Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter.
I was a good runner in my youth and I am sure with different direction and priorities I could have been an elite runner. If that had happened the odds are that I wouldn’t be running today. Even if I had tried, injuries might have taken their toll. I’ve now been running almost 45 years since starting again. I’ve had injuries, but have always got over them. I’m not convinced that continued running accelerates terminal injury issues so I think elite runners can continue to run well into their old age. As an example Joan Benoit, the Olympic champion in 1984, is still running well at age 58.
I found it surprising that no 70-year-old had run under 3 hours before me, at least four athletes had run in the 2:40s in their 60s, but never did a sub 3 when they reached 70. It’s now 12 years since I first did it and no one else has yet done it. A year after I first did it, I ran 2:54:49 at age 73. This indicates that the equivalent record for age 70 should be sub 2:50. Really sub 3 at 70 should not be that great a challenge for a talented marathon runner.
Of course some would say: What’s the point? I may have some ability, but it took a lot of training as well; there are probably better things to do than trudge around a cemetery for 3 hours every day. It’s not as though there’s any money in it.
So that’s my thesis: in spite of the preceding paragraph, others beside me should be pushing the envelope in over 70 marathon performance. I need company, maybe it would be a goad for me to do a bit better. Currently that would be difficult as various aches and pains are preventing me from training as much as necessary for good performance. Maybe running decently when you are old is more difficult than I have argued in my thesis!
Ed was an inspiration to me. As I've gotten older and slower he showed me that there were still goals to aim for! RIP Ed.
NYCMaster wrote:
The December 2016 NY Times piece on Whitlock says "He takes no medication, only a supplement that may or may not help his knees."
It is very possible that he did not know he had prostate cancer then, and that a rapid decline in his health set in only after metastasis.
I suspect that an independent-minded guy like Ed would shrug off a (seeming) problem as just one more trivial bump in the road until he was absolutely forced to walk through the front doors of a doctor's office and say, "I think something's wrong."
KudzuRunner wrote:
I suspect that an independent-minded guy like Ed would shrug off a (seeming) problem as just one more trivial bump in the road until he was absolutely forced to walk through the front doors of a doctor's office and say, "I think something's wrong."
Someone commented (here or perhaps on some thread on FB) on Ed's preference not to see doctors, that the man could/ should have, etc.
I didn't take Ed's stance any differently than my own - namely - I embrace western medicine and am happy to go to a physician if something is wrong, but if you go every time you think something is wrong, you'll find yourself over-treated and without enough time to train. It did not seem that at any point he was neglecting his health. He did say he doesn't run for health, and indeed, I think everyone agrees with the decades-old adage that if you're running more than 30 min several times a week, you're doing it for something other than health.
Love this quote from his Feb 12, 2016 beautifully-written article:
"I found it surprising that no 70-year-old had run under 3 hours before me, at least four athletes had run in the 2:40s in their 60s, but never did a sub 3 when they reached 70. It’s now 12 years since I first did it and no one else has yet done it. A year after I first did it, I ran 2:54:49 at age 73. This indicates that the equivalent record for age 70 should be sub 2:50. Really sub 3 at 70 should not be that great a challenge for a talented marathon runner."
This should be the quote of the day tomorrow. It really is illuminating to read his thoughts on the aging runner, especially that last sentence.