"Podcast Interview with running pioneer Grete Waitz"

fixed link:

http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2007/04/podcast-35-interview-with-running-pioneer-grete-waitz/

never knew that - that is awesome ... bet shes glad she decided to run that shit, haha

yea - ill admit it - i think her norwegian accent is damnnnn sexy

She won 5 cross country champs? when the hell did she do that?!?!

"In her teen years, Waitz won national junior titles in Norway in the 400 and 800 meters. At age 17 she set the European junior record for 1,500 meters with a time of 4:17, winning a bronze medal at the European Championships in this event in 1974. In 1975 Waitz broke the 3000 metres world record, running 8:46.6 in Oslo. In Oslo a year later she lowered this record with an 8:45.4 effort, then in 1977 she won a gold medal at this distance at the inaugural IAAF World Cup in Athletics meet in Düsseldorf with a personal best time of 8:31.75.

....

Besides her victories in New York, Waitz also won the London Marathon in 1983 and 1986 (the latter in a personal best of 2:24:54). Waitz enjoyed much success on the road at non-marathon distances as well, including four victories at the prestigious 10K Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, five wins at the L'eggs Mini-Marathon in New York, and world road records at 8K (25:03), 10K (30:59), 15K (48:01) and 10 mile distances. Waitz further demonstrated her versatility by successfully competing in cross country, winning the IAAF World Cross Country Championships five times, (1978-1981 and 1983), tying her with Doris Brown for most wins in the history of women's International/World Cross Country Championships.

Fred Lebow was the man ... god rest his soul and long live his memory, passion and legacy

Sorry but Lebow was a POS pig.

Fred Lebow was an amazing figure in our sport; one who co-founded the NY Marathon and created opportunities for runners around the world ... even ignorant one likes yourself.

Way to go with your comment about him - because it really take a lot of f***ing balls to rip on someone once they have passed away.

His passing erases his behavior and poor treatment of others? Read Anne Audain's bio sometime, unless you're too scared to have your inflated image of your hero burst.

Adam,

I love what you're doing with The Final Sprint -- keep up the great work!

Fred Lebow could be a tough negotiator in his day -- and it's true that he rubbed some athletes the wrong way. Of course, we are all saints of perfection on this board, right?!

The truth remains indisputable that Fred Lebow was a giant in the development of road racing and marathoning in this country, and he deserves respect for elevating our sport well beyond the state he found it in. His legacy lives today in the vibrancy of the New York running scene, and its leadership in the NY Road Runners Club.

Thanks for the kind words - I really appreciate it.

Well put response about Fred too.

Thanks again.

Nice podcasts but the rest of your site is lame, just another clone of CoolRunning or RWOL or any of the rest. Thanks for the reminder, though, I do indeed have a lot of f***ing balls.

Revolution # Title 9 wrote:

Of course, we are all saints of perfection on this board, right?!

I've never tried to use my position in authority to try to get a woman to sleep with me. Maybe that kind of stuff happens all the time among your friends and family, but not with me. I don't think very highly of Lebow, suffice it to say.

New York Sleazy wrote:

Revolution # Title 9 wrote:

Of course, we are all saints of perfection on this board, right?!

I've never tried to use my position in authority to try to get a woman to sleep with me. Maybe that kind of stuff happens all the time among your friends and family, but not with me. I don't think very highly of Lebow, suffice it to say.

... and yet, you have no trouble inferring that I either condone such behavior or that I may even, Among 'my friends and family' engage in such activities such as you attribute to Fred Lebow.

I'm sorry that you remain so angry, but as I mentioned before, none of us are saints.

I appreciate what Fred Lebow did for our sport. I am also aware from first hand memory how he negotiated with top athletes, and he as tough at times!

Beyond that, if he hurt you personally, I can sympathize with such pain, but beyond that, I think its the stuff that should stay behind closed doors, viewed within the totality of the legacy he left behind.

Actually, I didn't and I'm not. Who's inferring here? Maybe you would excuse it if he treated your mother or your sister that way rather than someone you don't know and maybe you wouldn't, I definitely can't be as glib or as euphemistic about it as you are.

You may prefer denial, I don't.

I agree. Enough with the euphemisms and just spell it out for those of us who have no idea what you're talking about. Are you saying Fred Lebow tried to get women to sleep with him in return for favors or special treatment. If so, who are these people?

I've already indicated explicitly where to look, I'll just let that testimony speak for itself as I don't speak for anyone else besides me. So, no I'm not going to go grab the book and transpose the relevant text for the lazy people because they're the ones who don't want to be informed of inconvenient truths in the first place. Plus it's copyrighted material. I'm not on a crusade, I just spoke up when I saw something that I disagreed with and wouldn't have replied after that if others had just let that be.

So paraphrasing constituted copyright infringement? Sorry for asking for more information. Lebow was a very bad man...I guess.

I don't own a copy and I'd want to look at it again if I were going to paraphrase.