Bill Rodgers or Pat Porter

Coming in third behind Ian Stewart and Mariano Haro as Rodgers did in '75 is actually more impressive than Porter's fourth in 1984. There was no significant African presence at that 1984 race, which was in the New Jersey Meadowlands. One of the people who beat Porter was Tim Hutchings, who was not in the league of Stewart or Haro.

I would also say that Rodgers' two sub-2:10 victories (out of four total) in Boston in the 1970s, including his 2:09:27, would have stood up well against anything anyone in the world could have done in the marathon at that point.

desert rodent wrote:

That may be true.

It "may be true" that Bill Rodgers doesn't owe you anything? How magnanimous of you.

Who do you think you are?

PS No one answered how fast he was capable of running a 5,000.

Rodgers ran a 13:42 5k at Oslo in 1978

Could someone with better search skills than I list Bill Rodgers track times from say 1975 to 1984 - genuinely interested.

desert rodent wrote:

Could someone with better search skills than I list Bill Rodgers track times from say 1975 to 1984 - genuinely interested.

It's very simple, my intellectually-challenged friend.

1. Go to

2. Pay the 2 euro fee for a 3 day pass

3. See all the track time progressions for Bill Rodgers.

4. See that his fastest ever 5000 meters was 13:42 and his fastest ever 10000 meters was 28:04

5. Go away and stop posting on subjects you know nothing about and are too lazy to investigate.

6. While you're at it, stop being a pompous ass who thinks that any elite runners "owes" you anything. They don't.

(athlete)

[edit] Personal track records

1/2 mile - 1 48

1 mile - 4:18.8

2 miles - 8:48 (indoor practice); 8:53.6 (1975)

3 miles - 13:25.4 (1976)

5 kilometers - 13:42.00 (1978)

10 kilometers - 28:04.4 (1976)

15 kilometers - 43:39.8 (1977 - American Record)

10 miles - 46:35

20 kilometers - 58:15 (1977 - American Record)

1 hour - 12 mi 1351 yd (20.556 km) (1977 - American Record)

25 kilometers - 1:14:12 (1979 - World and American Record)

30 kilometers - 1:31:50 (1979 - American Record)

[edit] Personal road records

10 kilometers: 28:16 (1983)

15 kilometers: 43:25 (1981)

20 kilometers: 58:43 (1982)

25 kilometers: 1:17:23

30 kilometers: 1:29:04 (1976 - Unofficial World Road Record)

Marathon (42.195 kilometers): 2:09:27 (1979 - American Record)

1:48???

Seems a little fast for Rodgers. Did I read that right?

DreamTeam wrote:

1:48???

Seems a little fast for Rodgers. Did I read that right?

That must be a typo or mistake. Doesn't compute with Bill's 4:18 mile PR and others. I know Bill's fast, but....Hodgie-san, help us out with this one.

Steve Hoag wrote:

DreamTeam wrote:

1:48???

Seems a little fast for Rodgers. Did I read that right?

That must be a typo or mistake. Doesn't compute with Bill's 4:18 mile PR and others. I know Bill's fast, but....Hodgie-san, help us out with this one.

Even 1:58 seems fast for Bill, all the other info. seems acurate, but hey, it is Wikipedia...

Perhaps more accurate, this has the 800 PR @ 2:00.

http://billrodgers.typepad.com/about.html

Rodgers race well into his early 50's. He is still going! I saw him break 15:00 at 45 in Hartford, CT. corporate 5k. Porter was not nearly as friendly, and was full of himself. Rogers was/is the exact opposite.

The only downside I see of Bill is that after reading his books, he seems to be resntfull of the revenue sports in college and pro level. Let's face it, would you rather watch N.D., Ohio State, Michigan football on a Saturday afternoon, or a 10k on the track?

I'll take football anyday.

Its true people weren't as fond of Porter and he was extremely cocky but he did spent a lot of time talking to kids during his career and was approachable and I wouldn't say he was unfriendly. He was less introverted than most serious runners. His American rivals like Bickford didn't seem to like him much though.

Rodgers on the other hand is just so down-to-earth its ridiculous. I asked him to autograph a race poster after a road race and he asked who I was and he knew my name and even some of my best times and I was never more than a middle of the road journeyman 20 years younger than him. And he talked to my mom for a little while as well.

pvs wrote:

Let's face it, would you rather watch N.D., Ohio State, Michigan football on a Saturday afternoon, or a 10k on the track?

Funny you should ask, but I'd rather watch track than those perennially overrated teams mentioned.

Put me down in the Rodgers column also, the guy couldn't be any friendlier. Also would rather watch road racing over ND, Ohio State and Michigan. Three of the perennially most over-rated teams in the country.

I'll go with Rodgers overall and the 10k as well. Didn't Rodgers win somthing like 46 out of 48 road races over a two year period when he was king of the roads? The fact is that he raced anyone who showed up over lots of distances and he almost always won!

If you put Porter on and Rodgers on the starting and they raced a 20k or shorter my money is on Porter. Porter was one of the strongest will athletes you will ever meet. The Great Pat Porter once told me "It's not the 2 hours you train, but the other two that make you a great distance runner"

If you put Porter on and Rodgers on the starting and they raced a 20k or shorter my money is on Porter. Porter was one of the strongest will athletes you will ever meet. The Great Pat Porter once told me "It's not the 2 hours you train, but the other 22 that make you a great distance runner"

The real question is - Who *IS* a better runner now? Slim Bill Rodgers can whoop up on portly Pat Porter at any distance, surface, or stroke. Porter must have weighed around 260 lbs. when I saw him 2 months ago.

Seriously? That heavy? I cannot picture him that way. The only image I have of him is as a complete stick. What a shame.

I tried to find pics from the Colorado Hall of Fame gig because I wanted to see what Porter looked like. Never could find any. Did you see him there?