1983

I was just really getting into running around then. I remember it very well. I still have a stack of "The Runner" magazines from those years. It's incredible all the performance that were going on every week by American runners that we took for granted. All the races that were later deemed legendary.

I still remember watching Salazar and Rodgers blast past my uncle's house in Boston in 1982 and thinking, "who is that guy in the white painter's cap?".

I get the feeling that most of the guys that post weren't even born in 1983!!

mark,

Possibly you are new to this site. Take a peak at the morass I've linked to below, if you got the stomach for it or try some searhes of the message board for early 80's vs. later discussion.

Get on your hip waders and safety glasses.

USE EXTREME CAUTION:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&thread=37235&page=0

I was running in 1983 (sophomore in high school). My PRs that year (since broken of course) - 10:19 for 3200 and 4:43 for 1600 - We had a kid in our league who ran 10:01 and I thought he was super fast. Funny how things change. Funny also how I remember all my PRs from every distance in every year (high school, college, and beyond).

That was a weird year for high school kids in Ohio. They changed the CC distance to 5,000 meters from 2.5 miles, so I hadn't run a 5,000 until that year.

Salazar was my hero of course.

1983 was the best runner year of my life. I ran 3:47 for 1500 metres, 8:06 for 3000. Geez, if I could do that today. Was it really 20 years ago?

Monty

I'm with you Monty -- I was a graduate student and that was probably my best year -- 1:06 half-marathon and 2:23 marathon, which I think was 250th on the US list that year.

I was a freshman in high school. Ran 10:22 off 30-35 miles a week that year which I thought was pretty good until I heard about this Trautman kid upstate. I guess 10:22 for a frosh is pretty slow now. Stayed up late into the night watching the first world track and field championships. My mother thought I was sick since I was sleeping in so much. Scott and Salazar were my fav runners along with Coe. A couple of years later I looked at Providence and voiced my concern about all the older Irish kids coming in. Wasn't the smartest thing to do since the coach was Irish, but he did say he planned on concentrating on recruiting American guys...he lied. If you remember, I think Treacy(sp??) got 2nd in NCAA XC as a 27 year old. If I was a college coach I would just recruit American kids...my opinion. I can't blame foreign kids for going to American schools and taking advantage of the opportunities given to them. The purpose of college is an education and why not get some $$$ for running for the school. I think you are going to see more and more schools cut XC and track, which sucks. If schools keep this up, we may have a club system down the line.

Baldy

1983- I was born.

Great year. I was a Jr. in high school cross country and had a great year. Ran 9:38 3200 track Sophmore year 1983 and 15:45 for 5k xc in the fall. Sucked at State but oh well life got better. My hero's were Alberto of course and my favorite shoe was the great waffle racer and American Eagle from Nike when they made great racing shoes. Also Hagerstown Marryland was the hot bed for distance runners at the time, Terry Baker, Chris Fox, Steve Spence 20 miles away in going to U of Shipp and a host of others like Rick Blood. Oh those were the day

Cheers

I ran 1:11:07 for the Half Marathon my PR in Oct 1983

I moved to Eugene for the 4th and last time in 1983. I've been up for parole a number of times but have been denied. Looks like I may be stuck here for life. Guess it's not a bad place to be stuck in. I get out on furlough now and then and should be in Boston this April. I may go A.W.O.L. and not take the right turn at the fire station, but where would that lead me? Maybe Lowell? Might be better than Brockton!

Anyone else running THE MARATHON. ( as we call it back there)?

1983 WAS a good year! But what this thread has done for me is made me realize that even those who represent themselves as old on this board are very young. I ran my first marathon in 1961 and my first Boston in 1962. You youngsters missed a real fun time for a runner. In addition, I have seen every track and field final at 6 Olympics beginning in Tokyo. There were some great years! 1964 and 1972 to name two of the best.

Orville,

Thanks for reminding me that I'm young. 1983 was my 16th year in the sport and it was obvious then that things were changing, in some ways for the better, in some for the worst.

Were you still running marathons in 1983?

I ran 2:17 and change at 1983 Boston and took 50th. I felt pretty mediocre about it. The whole nation of American marathon runners seemed to show up because it was the first qualifying race for the 1984 trials.

Gary Fanelli was 2 seconds and two places ahead of you in Bloston in 1983 Norcal.

1983 was the year of the last big all-American blowout at the Boston Marathon. Aside from Salazar and Beardsley, just about all the good U.S. marathoners were at Boston. It was the first chance to qualify for the 1984 Olympic Trials, and was also (I believe) the selection race for the U.S. marathon team for the first world championships of track and field later that year in Helsinki. The weather was excellent. I ran 2:23:36 that day, and there were about 125 people who finished ahead of me. Almost all of them, I believe, were Americans. (One was a little squirt named Joan Benoit, who ran about three minutes faster than any other woman had ever run a marathon.)

It was about then that financial incentives in U.S. marathoning changed. Prize money became acceptable, as long as the athletes deposited it in a trust account. Appearance fees became more open and widespread. Shoe companies started paying bigger bucks to the very top athletes, and dropped sponsorship of many others.

When the Boston Athletic Association balked at paying top runners to run Boston, they stayed away in droves. The 1984 and 1985 Boston races were a joke, with only one international-caliber runner (Geoff Smith) showing up and winning easily both years. When John Hancock took over the race in 1986, and began paying appearance fees and prize money, the top runners returned. But it was a different group of top runners this time -- not Americans, but rather international runners like De Castella, Jones, Seko, and (shortly thereafter) a host of great runners from east Africa.

Hey, I think thats cool that running had a boom in 83 because thats when I was born. My mom actually started running when she was pregnant with me and ended up qualifying for Boston and placing in the top 100 in 88. Just thought that your post was cool and thought Ild reply.

1983 was a great year but I would say 1982 was better.

Steve Scott ran 3:47, Salazar broke AR's in the 5000 and 10,000, and the all american boys from Wisconsin spanked the Kenyans from UTEP at the NCAA cross meet, breaking their long string.

I don't think the quality of depth on the track for American distances has ever been that good since.

But 1983 was memorable for me.

Back then Runners World had an annual issue with deep lists for every road and track listing possible,

Pat Porter ran a 27:40 10k on the roads which I watched on ESPN.(it was later found to be a few meters short)

Of course the Boston Marathon with the top three finishers being Americans.

Deke outkicking Lopes in the big Rotterdam Marathon (the beginning of Salazars meltdown.

Auoita making his first big breakthrough taking off with 500 to go at the Worlds and having Cram power by in his patented 250 meter kick.

And I believe it was the year Coghlan ran 3:49 for the mile indoors.

I was 16 and jsut getting pumped up about the sport, ran 80-90 miles a week over the summer in Brooks Chariots and won my first state cross country championship wearing the Nike Waffle Racersd (blue and gray)

Also had a pair of American Eagles.

Dogwood Relays 1983..(4x800).There I stood waiting to anchor Univ of Ga with some of the 800m'greats'of alltime.William Wuyke(Alabama),Earl Jones(Eastern Michigan),Penn State,Villanova et al...

I had never raced at this level but I had been warned that the competition would be 'hot'.

1st lap we were flying and I was just trying to get comfortable in the pack...All I wanted to do was relax and let the race come to me...but we were moving so fast I couldn't settle into a pace.

Gun lap I move around a few runners and suddenly I'm leading with 200m to go.

My teammates are on ther infield yelling @ me to kick..I swing off the top of the bend and hit it..This is it..one gear left and I gotta use it..I'm in full flight now...and the crowd is roaring...Down the stretch I fight to hold form and hold off the late charges I knew would come..but it's in vain..Wuyke and Jones collar me with about 30m to go...with E Mich winning in 7:15,Al with Wuyke also run 7:15..I bring Georgia home in 7:16..still the School Record today....2003..!!Coach shows me my split on the watch..1:46.8!! My fastest split ever...!!

1983 It was a Good Year...