1979 maybe not the best weather. Clearly, Bill crushed it!
This was better weather than '76, wasn't it in the 90s with an April heat wave? Rodgers did not run Boston in that Olympic year...
1979 maybe not the best weather. Clearly, Bill crushed it!
This was better weather than '76, wasn't it in the 90s with an April heat wave? Rodgers did not run Boston in that Olympic year...
Ran that day, 2:38.50 and came in around 650th ! That's how deep the field was. It was also the first Boston victory for Joan Benoit. I remember the shock when she passed me in Heartbreak Hills. A woman ?!
Big Red wrote:
1979 maybe not the best weather. Clearly, Bill crushed it!
This was better weather than '76, wasn't it in the 90s with an April heat wave? Rodgers did not run Boston in that Olympic year...
I don't think any of the top Americans ran Boston that year because of the OT marathon within a few months.
Jefe in the CO wrote:
vivalarepublica wrote:
Yea, runners were so much tougher those days! The good ole days! When everything was better and nobody made excuses!
We were tougher. Does a young gun like you doubt that?
I do doubt it, because it's hilariously typical for older generations to think they were tougher and things were better and people just sucked it up and complained less and things along those lines. The human memory, even among the smartest of us, is not accurate. Period.
Although there is a sliver of me that believes you. I consider myself tough as nails. I will run in anything besides life threatening conditions (blizzards, t-storms, extreme heat). Running in the cold of winter is great because I know that the trails will be clear of people that simply cannot handle running in that weather. When the nice days of spring come around, I groan, because I will spend a lot more energy dodging people than just focusing on my running.
Was this the case 40 years ago? I don't know. Do you really know, or do you just think that you know?
The Fokus wrote:
Big Red wrote:
1979 maybe not the best weather. Clearly, Bill crushed it!
This was better weather than '76, wasn't it in the 90s with an April heat wave? Rodgers did not run Boston in that Olympic year...
I don't think any of the top Americans ran Boston that year because of the OT marathon within a few months.
The Olympic Trials Marathon in 1980 was held on May 24th. The Boston Marathon was held on April 21st. They were only 33 days apart.
Bill ran in 1979 as did many other top Americans. Bill won.
Bill ran in 1980, and won. Many top Americans didn't run Boston that year as they ran the "Trials to nowhere" on May 24th of 1980.
Bill knew a top 3 finish would not get him to the Olympics because of the boycott, so he ran an won Boston a month earlier.
Bill did not run Boston in 1976 because he ran the trials a month later, May 22nd 1976, in Eugene and placed 2nd which got him a ticket to Montreal where he was hobbled by a foot injury. He lead as long as he could keeping the pace honest so that Lasse Viren wouldn't get a free ride...Viren had won both the 5000 and 10000 meter races and was trying to complete the Olympic Triple.
Amazingly, Viren had won the 5000 race in Montreal and just 18 hours earlier and then he stood on the starting line for the Marathon and ended up 5th in 2:13:11.
If not for a foot injury before the games, Bill would have been vying for the Gold Medal in the Montreal Olympics.
Bill had some bad luck with 2 Olympic Games or he surely would have had a medal if not 2.
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
vivalarepublica wrote:
Jefe in the CO wrote:
We were tougher. Does a young gun like you doubt that?
I do doubt it, because it's hilariously typical for older generations to think they were tougher and things were better and people just sucked it up and complained less and things along those lines. The human memory, even among the smartest of us, is not accurate. Period.
Although there is a sliver of me that believes you. I consider myself tough as nails. I will run in anything besides life threatening conditions (blizzards, t-storms, extreme heat). Running in the cold of winter is great because I know that the trails will be clear of people that simply cannot handle running in that weather. When the nice days of spring come around, I groan, because I will spend a lot more energy dodging people than just focusing on my running.
Was this the case 40 years ago? I don't know. Do you really know, or do you just think that you know?
I've run in blizzards, extreme heat, and on a golf course in a thunderstorm because my college coach was completely and utterly out of his mind. So, yeah, I'm tougher than you I guess.
sc42 wrote:
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
Not me. Top athletes now whine a lot more and bail out of races with a sniffle.
Look at the number of races that Rodgers, Lindsay, Meyer, etc...ran during one calendar year. You think they were close to 100% every race? No way.
Point taken;)
hvargas wrote:
Because Bill was Chuck Norris in racing flats
So true. Bill's tears can cure cancer.
Seems to me that it's pretty much human nature to think that those who come after us aren't as tough, are pampered, etc... Running with "a sniffle" or a sickness isn't "tough", it's stupid. Running while sick isn't beneficial to your health. I do agree that the times have changed and maybe elites were open to racing more/under worse conditions in the 70's - 80's but I'm not sure I attribute that to toughness.
One2three wrote:
Seems to me that it's pretty much human nature to think that those who come after us aren't as tough, are pampered, etc... Running with "a sniffle" or a sickness isn't "tough", it's stupid. Running while sick isn't beneficial to your health. I do agree that the times have changed and maybe elites were open to racing more/under worse conditions in the 70's - 80's but I'm not sure I attribute that to toughness.
---I think you missed his/her point.
We all deal with small set backs and times when things aren't perfect. Having a slight sniffle and running is stupid to "you", but not to everyone else. I agree as I've ran when things weren't perfect and it worked out fine. I don't think it makes a person tough, but it's better than whining about every little thing as an excuse not to race.
Bill Rodgers and Herb Lindsay especially, ran dozens of races every year. I also find it hard to believe that they were 100%. I actually remember talking with Jon Sinclair about the very subject after a 10 mile race back in the early 80's.
Bill Rodgers was tough as nails and gutted out many races when he wasn't feeling well. Now if a runner is a little worn down, they back out. Back then, they raced and let the results be what they were.
Spider wrote:
hvargas wrote:
Because Bill was Chuck Norris in racing flats
So true. Bill's tears can cure cancer.
Your sarcasm appears to be pure jealousy. You have our pity.
sc42 wrote:
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
Qualifying time was 2:50 back then. The field was much smaller and full of truly good racers. Today's field contains 9 hobby joggers for every 1 racer and the level of whining aligns
facts keep it straight wrote:
sc42 wrote:
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
Qualifying time was 2:50 back then. The field was much smaller and full of truly good racers. Today's field contains 9 hobby joggers for every 1 racer and the level of whining aligns
They were tougher back then and had tougher qualifying times as well.
Of course, Boston jumped on the bandwagon as there is tons of $$$$ to be made in entry fees that are pushing $200 to run their race, among other revenue sources.
Give Rodgers decent conditions in 1979, and he's well under 2:09.
The 9 hobby joggers is about right.
Small quibble: (I think...) the qualifier was still 3 hours in 79. I think it changed to 2:50 in.... 85??
Small question: When did they stop taking splits at the train stations? Are there still records for those intervals? I miss that, tied into the history of the race - which, obviously, is its greatest strength.
Link wrote:
Small quibble: (I think...) the qualifier was still 3 hours in 79. I think it changed to 2:50 in.... 85??
Small question: When did they stop taking splits at the train stations? Are there still records for those intervals? I miss that, tied into the history of the race - which, obviously, is its greatest strength.
Not true. It was 2:50 from 1980 till 1986.
I ran 2:49 as a 19 year old in the Fall of 1979, that's how I got to run Boston on a warm day in 1980.
sc42 wrote:
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
He was a weakling. A snowflake.
Meooowwww wrote:
sc42 wrote:
Bill Rodgers was definitely a machine. But I remember plenty of whining from average Joes about the weather/wind/mud/cinders/ whatever back in the 70s and 80s, same as now.
He was a weakling. A snowflake.
Says the guy who couldn't break 4 hours, LOL!!!!!!!!!! You don't do anything when you make a post like that but make yourself look like an uninformed goof ball. Is that really the description you were going for?
Boston Stats Guy wrote:
Link wrote:
Small quibble: (I think...) the qualifier was still 3 hours in 79. I think it changed to 2:50 in.... 85??
Small question: When did they stop taking splits at the train stations? Are there still records for those intervals? I miss that, tied into the history of the race - which, obviously, is its greatest strength.
Not true. It was 2:50 from 1980 till 1986.
I ran 2:49 as a 19 year old in the Fall of 1979, that's how I got to run Boston on a warm day in 1980.
This isn't right, either. I had to break 2:50 when I ran it in 88.