RIP Ron Clarke

1955 wrote:

Ron Clarke was a big hero of mine when I was just started running -- front runner, no kick. His form was so smooth. Plus, he seemed like a real gentleman.

I can't imagine any better tribute than when Zatopek gave him one of his gold medals. Speaks volumes about each of them.

Actually, Clarke did kick pretty well on occasion, one time outsprinting Kip Keino. It's just that he almost always ran to the limit in every race, just like Pre. I think if he would have wanted to sit and kick, he could have won more, but that wasn't his philosophy.

Great runner, great role model. RIP. Say hello to Zatopek when you see him...

Considering he had an artificial heart and knew the effort in Mexico had pruned 5-10 years from his life expectancy, 78 is not a bad age.

Artificial heart ? Are you sure ?

Whatever became of his son's running career ? Read article on him In Rw decades ago .

RIP

For those of you who can find it, I highly recommend reading Kenny Moore's piece on Ron Clarke, "But Only on Sunday." It originally appeared in Sports Illustrated but has also been reprinted in Moore's book Best Efforts and in some other collections. It's a beautifully written piece and gives a great sense of who Clarke was.

Here's an excerpt:

"The chorus, whenever Ron Clarke is consigned to insignificance, is 'Who ever remembers second place?' But that is the gulf between spectators, who seem to believe that runners are drawn to compete only in order to make themselves immortal, and amateur athletes, who are private men doing what they do for myriad private reasons. Among distance runners, who understand something of what Clarke attempted, will be found his most thoughtful judges."

From Clarke: "I loved testing myself more than I feared being beaten, and front running is the ultimate test. You need a total, irrevocable commitment to see the race through to the end or it cannot justify your effort."

RIP.

Several posters have already nailed it, but none better than Clarke's own quote about sitting and kicking. 23 laps of tempo running and 2 laps of racing is a disgrace to our sport.

Ron got a lot of criticism back in the day for setting so many records, yet never winning an Olympic title. Some of it may have even been partially justified. But no one ever accused him of not giving everything. He ran and raced with honesty, integrity, and honor. How many can we say that about today?

A true giant of athletics has passed.

bowbridge wrote:

Great runner, great role model. RIP. Say hello to Zatopek when you see him...

This has brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you.

Ron was a great distance running legend. He was my running idol during my early years of distance running. I saw him a few times at the indoor 2 mile held at the Cow Palce (Daly City,CA) He was a bold front runner with a great sense of pacing. This inspired me to try this tactic on occasion and build my confidence thst I could run fast. He was a true gentleman and well liked by all.

The Rocket

Barney Clark wrote:

Artificial heart ? Are you sure ?

Whatever became of his son's running career ? Read article on him In Rw decades ago .

RIP

Most likely heart valve

I remember in the 80s he had an operation to fix a leak. It was thought this was why he could not "kick" or otherwise run all out - his cardiac output was capped due to the leak.

Sad News.

As the chairman of the Bislett Alliance I was sad to reive the news about Ron. As late as last week I comunicated with him about this years 50th anniversary of the ExxonMobil Bislett Games. We had a hope that Ron would join us as a quest of honor. However, his health condition preventerd him from doing so. His faboulus world record of 27,39 in 1965 set the standard for the Bislett meets to come. Thank you Ron for Your contribution to our sport and to Bislett.

Personally, I remember him as en extremly tough competitor, who would run us all to the ground either with surging or with a steady hard pace. Most of us came apart running behind his broad back.

Oslo. June 17

Arne Kvalheim

Thank you for your post. We/our sport lost a great runner and person. A pleasure to see your name (3:58.5) on this message board.

jon landy stops in a mile race to assist a fallen clarke. One of the finer sportsmanship moments in sport - Landy won the race after falling behind 25 yards then winning by at least the same amount. 1956 Australian Natl Champs

I am saddened for his family and close friends.

I only knew him by e-mail, other than by reputation.

Any fans of Ron that haven't read his book, " A Measure

Of Success" have something to look forward to.

As was mentioned before, the world is a lesser place now.

Here's a link to the Kenny Moore piece including the Ron Clarke chapter. Wow, great stuff in here...

https://books.google.com/books?id=vsBGF3PiaWcC&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=but+only+on+sunday+ron+clarke&source=bl&ots=gvSrQlH8YN&sig=kvlr64PrPHblXQZtozb9DmM7mLw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MuqBVfrBIc7moAS0_au4Bg&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=ron%20clarke&f=false

one of the greatest of the greats, I first learned about him in the opening of 'The Self Coached runner' of which Clarke was the prime example. He never won Olympic Gold only due to bad luck and his own mistakes, but he was the greatest runner of his time.

lease wrote:

He (co-)authored two of the finest books about running that I have ever read: The Unforgiving Minute and The Lonely Breed. When I was a kid these books could psych me up like nothing else.

Don't forget 'Ron Clarke Talks Track' All 3 are classic books. I agree about being able to psych you up. They still are priceless.

Ron Clarke was a legend on the track. His 17 world records helped essentially bring distance running into the modern era. It was not his fault that the 1968 Olympics were held at 7,000 feet of altitude. His ethic of giving all you had, not waiting for the kick, holding a crushing pace the whole way, is a dying art. It is remarkable that someone whose great performances came 50 years ago was only 78, but such is athletics.

Ron Clarke was also the first person I bet who was documented to warn of the impending threat of EPO to the sport. Back in 1990 or 91 I believe. He knew it was out there and he was quoted in Track and Field News.

He also stated that sea level runners should be allowed to use it.