80's
New Zealand, USA, Canada, Europe could all run with the Africans!!!!
80's
New Zealand, USA, Canada, Europe could all run with the Africans!!!!
Ho-Fucking-Hum!
I think the 1970s were it.
There was Lasse Viren winning the 5000 and 10000 in both the 1972 and 76 Olympics; the NYCM is begun in '70 and Frank Shorter wins the Olympic Marathon in '72 and television embraces running thus starting a running boom in the US; there was Pre; there was Bill Rodgers dominating the Boston and NYC Marathons, etc...
I vote for the decade 1972-1982, beginning with Shorters gold medal and ending with Salazar's greatest year, with Rodgers, Virgin, Steve Scott in between. Then throw in a wide variety of foreigners from many countries (Rono, Aouita, Coe, Ovett, Cram, DeCastella, Seko, Coghlan,Maree, Moorcroft, Lopes) All great names on not from the same three damn countries!
1400'S................man named Phidipides changed running forever!
Was 11 years old when the 80's started - became an instant athletics fan after seeing De Castella win in Brisbane, Rotterdam and Helsinki in awesome style. Aouita was simply incredible, as was Steve Jones, Lopez and Ngugi.
Gebreselasie and Tergat are quite simply the finest distance runners I've ever seen, however the 80's as a whole would have to take the cake.
De Castella, Salazar, Lopez, Jones, Aouita....they had a certain presence and magic about them.
Definitely the 60's. All about the cinders baby!