John J. Kelley won the Boston Marathon 50 years ago this month

The really sad thing in the article, at least to me, is that it shows that JK isn't exactly rolling in dough. I had always thought that the Kelley's Pace running shops were his. The article indicates that he just works there.

Anyway, I think reading this article, however you manage it, is essential for anyone who has any aprpeciation for the sport and its history. Heck even people who don't have that sense ought to read it and maybe start to develop that sense.

I had the opportunity to speak with John at the Mt Washington RR last summer where he gave an inspirational talk and was the honorary starter.

In fact, my main motivation in attending the race was to see Johnny Kelley.

John won the race in 1961 and is the only Boston Marathon winner to have done so.

He had some great stories and is a fine writer on running as well.

Here is a thread on Amby's training, not sure how much was influenced by JK, I would think alot.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=145310&thread=145273

Is there a schedule listed of events that are going on at the expo this year? I always seem to have a hard time finding one. I heard the Tom Longboat's family will be in town. Are they going to be part of another seminar or meet-and-greet?

HRE,

See you at the Crossroads Pub right after the JKelley/Amby/TommyD "seminar"

Will Nobby be in town?

here's what Amby B posted over on RWOL

2007 Boston Marathon Seminars

Friday, April 13, 2007

2:00–5:00 Runner’s World Shoe Lab

2:00–3:00 The Race that Changed the World: Kathrine Switzer and Boston Marathon age-group champion Roger Robinson

3:00–4:00 I'm going to run one day: Runner’s World Hero Of Running Dottie Lessard-O'Conner; In October 1994, at the age of 27, she received a double lung transplant, and in May 1995, she ran for the first time.

4:00–5:00 Boston Legends: Amby Burfoot, 1968 winner; Dave McGillivray, race director and 34-time finisher; Jack Fultz, 1976 winner; Billy Rodgers, four-time winner; Greg Meyer, 1983 winner; Dick Beardsley, “Dual in the Sun,” 1982; and moderator Bart Yasso

Saturday, April 14, 2007

9:30–12:00 / 2:00–5:00 Runner’s World Shoe Lab

10:00–11:00 The Hoyts: Team Hoyt “Everybody should be included in everyday life”. Dick and Ricky Hoyt, who finished 25 Boston Marathons together

11:00–12:00 Team Hanson: Melissa White, Dot McMahan, Yolanda Flamino (all three have qualified for the Olympic Marathon Trials), Kelly Stewart, and Desiree Davila; and moderator Bart Yasso

12:00–1:00 26.2 Tips You Need to Know About the Boston Marathon: Dave McGillivray, race director and 34-time finisher; Josh Nemzer, course coordinator; and Bart Yasso

1:00–2:00 John J. Kelley (1957 winner) 50th anniversary; Amby Burfoot, 1968 winner; and moderator Tom Derderian, Boston Marathon historian

2:00–3:00 The Race that Changed the World: Kathrine Switzer and Boston age-group champion Roger Robinson

3:00–4:00 Power Bar presents How to Run Your Best Boston Marathon: Josh Cox; Dan Browne; and Runner’s World Editors Ben Cheever, Jane Hahn, Michelle Hamilton, Adam Bean, and Bart Yasso

4:00–5:00 Boston champions: Amby Burfoot, 1968 winner; Jack Fultz, 1976 winner; Billy Rodgers, four-time winner; Greg Meyer, 1983 winner; Joan Benoit, two-time winner; and moderator Bart Yasso

5:00–6:00 Dual in the Sun: 1982; Dick Beardsley

Sunday, April 15, 2007

9:30–12:00 / 2:00–5:00 Runner’s World Shoe Lab

10:00–11:00 The Race that Changed the World: Kathrine Switzer and Boston age-group champion Roger Robinson

11:00–12:00 26.2 Tips You Need to Know About the Boston Marathon: Dave McGillivray, race director and 34-time finisher; Josh Nemzer, course coordinator; and Bart Yasso

12:00–1:00 Adidas elite athletes: Grete Waitz; Todd Williams; Amby Burfoot; and moderator Bart Yasso

1:00–2:00 How to Run Your Best Boston Marathon: Runner’s World Editors Ben Cheever, Jane Hahn, Michelle Hamilton, Adam Bean, Warren Greene, and Bart Yasso

2:00–3:00 Adidas women's only elite athletes: Grete Waitz; Amy Rudolph; Carrie Tollefson; Sara Slattery; and moderator Jane Hahn

3:00–4:00 David Willey, Runner’s World Editor-in-Chief; Boston Real Runners Amy Palmiero-Winters, Peter Segal, Mel Sirois, Doug Brown, Diane Wilson, Larry Herman and Dina Pandya

I met John J. Kelley and Amby J. Burfoot on June 21, 1967 in Lynn, MA at the Bennie's Lunch and Tap 10 mile handicap. I had just graduated from High School and was due to go to UMass in Sept. In a handicap race the slowest runner starts at the "gun" and the fastest runner waits to start at "scratch." Kelley or Burfoot, or both ran from scratch. Since I was young and up and coming I got a good start which allowed me to pass the old guys and run into the lead with only the police car with its siren and blinking lights leading the way in the middle of the road with me following. I ran full of myself in doing this. Of course it dawned on me that everyone behind who I hadn't just passed had been deemed by the race handicapper, Fred Brown, to be faster than me. So I ran terrified that Kelley would catch me. He was the guy who had won the Boston Marathon. Burfoot wouldn't do that for another year. John Kelley won the Boston Marathon I was eight years old. I confused him with Senator John Kennedy. That had the same blond, windblown, Irish squint. Kelley didn't catch me. I ran 60:30, but a Boston University freshman, Peter Stipe, caught me. Over the next half dozen years we would have many duals.

After the race the Lynn Item photographer took a photo of the first two runners and the fastest two, Kelley and Burfoot, along with Jock Semple shooting a glaring look at me because I was the only non-BAA guy and was wearing my North Medford Club uniform. Jock would come to glare at me a lot in the next decade.

Tom

Hodgie-san,

He told me that he thinks so but isn't sure yet. Usually that means he is coming, but it's not a done deal. See you next week.

More Johnny:

http://www.boston.com/sports/specials/marathon/articles/2007/04/08/forever_younger/

Maybe I'll pick it up while in a bookstore or at the library and look at it.

Eh, Borders is a corporate chain, I say screw 'em they can absorb whatever loss might come of a bunch of guys molesting magazines and not paying for them. Do it at a locally-owned independent bookstore, though, and you're a no good, low down, rotten, scum sucking, so-and-so and don't you ever forget it.

When I read his quarter mile workout I crapped (fortunately I was reading it while on the crapper) After running to the track, he did 40x440 in :75 with a 440 recov. Then ran home. Over 20 miles on speed days. Is this true and is it typical for runners at that level? I thought I was doing something special when I do 24 quarters.

Big Deal!

A lot of that was likely due tot he influence of Zatopek. That session would not have been atypical, though certainly on the ambitious side. It wasn't uncommon to cover 15-20 miles on a "speed" day.