Denver Colfax marathon long?

Avocado,

I also question your claim. There has NEVER been a group of 29 sub 2:20 guys training together in the USA. GBTC at one time had 9 guys training together but NEVER 20. I believe that the current group of HANSONS is as deep as any team in the 80's.

Currently 7 guys sub 2:15:30 and another 5 sub 2:20.

zip gun era,

I have nothing against running clubs, and I don't doubt that promising runners can benefit from participating in running clubs, which can provide training partners, coaches, social networks, and financial assistance. I simply don't see any evidence that post-collegiate, interclub competition is a significant part of the national running scene. As far as I know, it hasn't been since the early to mid-70s.

As indicated by my name, the race event is (based on all info on their site) organized by some civic organization, not anyone typically affiliated with organizing races in the local scene. Not unlike that Indy Classic deal. The course itself, even when accurate and correct, is crap and it's considered your basic penguinfest, a place for the 50-staters and BQ hopefuls and one-and-dones to add a shiny finisher's medal to the ego shrine.

How convenient. Likewise, I'm sure. Don't go away mad.....

I didn't say that there were 29 sub 2:20 guys training together. I said that our club had 20 sub-2:20 marathoners.

It wasn't GBTC, by the way. I don't know how many sub-2:20 marathoners GBTC has had, but I would guess that it was significantly more than our club had.

You mean, since the golden age of American Distance Running?

"not organized by runners" provided an email address at which time you decided this person was a crank. I don't even think Nike can count 20+ sub 2:20 runners, today.

He provided Henry Rono's email address, you nitwit.

Avocados Number wrote:

[quote]altitude wrote:

That's even more pathetic than a national 50K racewalking championship!

There's nothing pathetic about a national 50k racewalk championship. It is one of the Olympic distances. They have national championships for all other Olympic events and distances.

That is not Henry Rono's address. It's the address of a longtime Rono fan. Test me, Hawking.

LOL

My initial comment was actually a gentle poke at racewalkers. It turned into a debate with some guy who actually thinks that the national marathon relay club championship is a significant event.

Not so much a debate as you revealing how out-of-touch you are and maybe a glimpse at a Walter Mitty complex, to boot.

To me, if USATF attaches their endorsement, it's a significant event. You resorted to name-calling and made claims of past performance.

Nice work, Avacado, ttc-esque.

For those at all interested, AN never found the cojones to e-mail, but I've found this on the Washington Running Club site

http://www.washrun.org/maralist03.html

1 Jack Fultz 1978 Boston Marathon 2:11:17 4th place, one minute behind Bill Rogers

2 George Malley 1985 Sacramento Marathon 2:12:23 George also ran the 4th best American 1/2 marathon time in 1982 (1:01:43 in Philadelphia)

3 Henry O'Connell 1984 Chicago Marathon 2:12:32

4 Matt Wilson 1983 Grandma's Marathon 2:12:57

5 Jeff Scuffins 1987 Marine Corps Marathon 2:14:01 New Course Record

6 Bruce Coldsmith 1980 Mardi Gras Marathon 2:14:07

7 Jim Hage 1992 Columbus Marathon 2:15:51 8th in 1992 Olympic trials

8 Steve Spence 1988 Boston Marathon 2:16:10 Steve went on to win the Olympic Trials in 1992

9 Terry Baker 1982 Boston Marathon 2:16:32 7th Place

10 Bernie Allen 1974 Boston Marathon 2:17:02 9th place

11 Bruce Robinson 1980 Olympic Marathon Trials 2:17:30 28th Place

12 Will Albers 1980 Olympic Marathon Trials 2:17:50 32nd Place

13 Walter Sargent 1990 Columbus Marathon 2:18:55 U.S. Nat'l Championship

14 Jeff Peterson 1983 Phoenix Marathon 2:19:00

15 Gordon Minty 1984 Boston Marathon 2:19:03 18th Place

16 Mike Greehan 1980 Marine Corps Marathon 2:19:22

17 Jim Berka 1980 Mardi Gras Marathon 2:19:26

18 Al Naylor 1983 Boston Marathon 2:19:39

19 Tom Stevens 1992 Olympic Marathon Trials 2:19:41 17th place

20 Phil Stewart 1975 Boston Marathon 2:19:58

21 Dan Rincon 1975 Maryland Marathon 2:20:07

22 Tim Tays 1984 Philadephia Marathon 2:20:39

23 Max White 1975 Boston Marathon 2:20:40

24 Michael Wardian* 2003 Detroit Marathon 2:21:48 Qualified for 2004 Olympic Trials! (In 2004 he also set the treadmill world record of 2:23:58)

25 Jeryl Turner 1980 Marine Corps Marathon 2:22:09

26 Bob Scharf 1966 Boston Marathon 2:22:15 8th Place

27 Lou Castagnola 1967 GW Birthday Marathon 2:22:45 Best time on Old DC Course

28 Chuck Burrows 1980 Olympic Marathon Trials 2:22:52 78th Place

29 Tem Washington 1983 Mardi Gras Marathon 2:23:12

30 Robert Thurston 1972 Boston Marathon 2:23:23 Three minutes behind Jeff Galloway

31 Peter Nye 1980 Carolina Marathon 2:23:41

32 John Dalb 1983 Chicago Marathon 2:24:12

33 Jack Coffey* 1982 Boston Marathon 2:24:54

34 Bob Stack 1980 Connecticut Marathon 2:25:18 A really tough hilly marathon in Central CT, now defunct

35 Ray Morrison 1975 Yonkers Marathon 2:25:30

36 Roberto Rodriguez 1979 Penn Relays Marathon 2:25:34

37 Kirk Baird 1995 Dallas White Rock Marathon 2:26:09 13th place

38 Philippe Rolly* 2005 Twin Cities Marathon 2:26:47

39 Kurt Kroemer 1986 Boston Marathon 2:27:00

40 John Walsh 1983 Boston Marathon 2:27:07

41 Jay Jacob Wind* 1980 Boston Marathon 2:27:25

42 Sheldon Karlin 1972 NYC Marathon 2:27:52 Winner of this third NYC Marathon

43 Russ Crandall 2001 Chicago Marathon 2:29:18 46th place

*Names in bold indicate that the person is a current member of the WRC.

Solid club, what happened?

An apology would be great, but probably too much to expect.

What happened? Fast runners got older. Slower runners took their places. It was probably the same story at clubs in other parts of the country.

Also, as I indicated earlier, the club system of the "amateur" era gave way to corporate sponsorships of individual athletes. Obviously, Steve Spence was not going to turn down Reebok dollars in order to wear the logo of the Washington Running Club.

Apology for what? I've said nothing that was wrong. Your behavior was suspect, others saw it before I ever pointed it out, nothing has changed that fact. You chose to hold yourself and your experience up as an example and then turned tail when asked to put facts to claims. I had to find this information with no help from you. Then again, it's not like I expect you to apologize for lying.

So why weren't fast or faster runners taking the place of the aging fast runners? No doubt corporate cherry-picking had something to do with it, though why a runner couldn't wear both logos if he really wanted to is a mystery. There was probably also something along the lines of a void of support created when the fast guys quit the club, in terms of mentorship and leadership. I'm sure it happened all over, too. I see now why you don't understand much about the club competitions, it appears that WRC was never much of a presence at events like XC nationals.

That response is about what I expected. Perhaps you should now just go back to making fun of "penguinfests," "50-staters," "BQ hopefuls," and "one-and-dones." They're obviously more your speed.

It's not. But it can be if people support it. Your attitude gives the impression that it is a waste of time.

As far as the course goes. So it was a bit off. I'm sure a lot of the courses that you ran on in the 70s were a bit off as well. The race made a mistake and I'm sure they feel badly about it. However, there was great prize money and for the most part it was well organized.

What other marathons were stepping up to support the club relay event?

Likewise, I'm sure. That you saw that as ridicule is cute. Stepping up to the plate is very obviously out of your depth, I wonder how the sport managed to pass you by, sweetheart.