Flashback to Salazar getting kicked down at 1984 USA Marathon Trials

People always diss Larry Rawson, but listen to him here. No American announcers today can carry a 10,000M race.

Nice factoid early in the video that Salazar went to Kenya to train, felt isolated there by the other runners who wouldn't train with him, so he returned.

Is there another story here? He looks like he's racing to get to the porta potty.

El Cheapo wrote:

Can't believe Salazar ran a 13:11 5,000 with that form. Granted his body was already deteriorating by that point.

Looks like the porta potty trot. Someone should ask him if he was having digestive issues at the end of the 84 trials.

He outkicked Rodolfo Gomez (not the Gomez who beat him in the 10000 video) in the 1982 nyc marathon In last quarter. Lead vehicle kicked up a lot of dust and leaves and Alberto emerged in the lead and won by 4 seconds. He also outkicked Beardsley in the battle of the sun in Boston. Was in the hospital for days after that win. Mentally tough. Amazing wins to watch in the 1980s.

i've run like that before wrote:

El Cheapo wrote:

Can't believe Salazar ran a 13:11 5,000 with that form. Granted his body was already deteriorating by that point.

Looks like the porta potty trot. Someone should ask him if he was having digestive issues at the end of the 84 trials.

Alberto was toast by the 84 trials. So painful to watch him in the 84 LA Olympics. You should read the great book "Duel In The Sun" which delves deeply into Salazar and Dick Beardsley's problems after that memorable race in Boston.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

El Cheapo wrote:

Can't believe Salazar ran a 13:11 5,000 with that form. Granted his body was already deteriorating by that point.

How do you run 13:11 with a deteriorating body? That makes no sense at all.

Chris Froome won the tour with asthma, kidney failure and Bilharzia.

????????/ wrote:

Didn’t he outkick Gomez in one of his NY wins?

Rodolfo, not Jose.

Rodolfo is the guy congratulating Jose after the race.

I was there at the '83 Pre meet to see Gomez outkick Salazar. It was a bit the shock, after seeing Al and Henry Rono battle to a 27:29.9 win for Rono over Salazar's 27:30.0.

It was a major sign that Salazar's incredible string of runs from the New York City Marathon 1980 to his summer '82 ARs in the 5000 and 10000 and his New York win in '82 was coming to an end. The overtraining caught up with him.

Back then, there was no web and we read about running in the Eugene Register Guard and the running magazines, it was harder to track the ups and downs of a running career.

I'd love to see that Rono vs. Salazar 10,000. There's very little Rono on youtube. It would be cool if someone could upload that.

I watched the '83 Rotterdam finish on youtube last night, and yeah, that was in his fade period. Salazar was dropped quite a ways before the finish. He and De Castella do voice overs in this clip:

https://youtu.be/qz6G3NQJef8

Salazar is basically Lance Armstrong. They were both doped up and complete jerks a lot of the time, but god they were fighters. The will to win at all costs is a double edged sword.

Interesting to note is that Lopes, Salazar, and de Castella all ran the World XC Champs in Gateshead a week or so before.

Salazar was a great track runner and marathon runner simultaneously, which went against conventional wisdom at the time and probably contributed to his shortened career.

I don't think he could have won a track medal at a WC or Olympics because of his lack of kick.

A world champs marathon in 81 would have been very interesting . Salazar definitely would have been in the hunt for a medal.

OTM through Canada wrote:

Speedy Jose Gomez lays waste to Salazar in the last 250 in the 1983 Prefontaine Classic 10,000.

This is the first time I've seen clips from either event. I watched the women's 1984 Olympic Trials Marathon, but missed the men's Trials. I was 14 or 15, and not a runner until a year later, but was already becoming a running fan.

https://youtu.be/Ds5vXqFjbx4

Amazing how many spectators there are in the stands

I saw a films of the Rono vs Salazer 10,000 years ago. Rono was pointing to someone in the stands as he was finishing. And I kid you not, Rono had a bit of a pot belly in the race. There was great recount of that race in Tand FN.

Track & Marathon wrote:

Salazar was a great track runner and marathon runner simultaneously, which went against conventional wisdom at the time and probably contributed to his shortened career.

I don't think he could have won a track medal at a WC or Olympics because of his lack of kick.

A world champs marathon in 81 would have been very interesting . Salazar definitely would have been in the hunt for a medal.

So was Lopes. Cross Country too.

Just watched those races again Salazar is painful to watch. I'm sure he looks back now and thinks how much better he could have been had he worked to develop better mechanics when he was young.

skep tic wrote:

OTM through Canada wrote:

Speedy Jose Gomez lays waste to Salazar in the last 250 in the 1983 Prefontaine Classic 10,000.

This is the first time I've seen clips from either event. I watched the women's 1984 Olympic Trials Marathon, but missed the men's Trials. I was 14 or 15, and not a runner until a year later, but was already becoming a running fan.

https://youtu.be/Ds5vXqFjbx4

Amazing how many spectators there are in the stands

Probably plenty of beer served in the stands at that time, too. Was Hayward a 440y oval back then, hence the start on the curve?

Another note on the '84 OT Marathon, Pfitz and Salazar were both GBTC/Squires alumni.

Honestly his form isn’t that bad. Pretty standard for someone with moderate talent that puts in thousands of miles and has incredible determination.