But first, a few amplifications to yesterday. Kray Zeller made his debut masters marathon in Duluth. Trained up hard with the goal of breaking 3 hours. Ended up finishing 14th in the 40-44 age group in 2:56:33. Outstanding effort mate!
Cameron Cummings (33:52) took to the rain soaked streets of Boston in the B.A.A. 10K. Driving storms didn’t dampen his spirits as he finished 33rd overall out of 2800 runners.
Jeremy Morris did indeed win the Dizzy Goat 12 hour covering 61.75 miles. Mike Wasson probably won his race there. We had Alli Borgan in the 3 hour, I’ll guess she won until I find out otherwise, if you know of a link to the results thanks for sending along. I’m sure its just me not being able to locate them, no other explanation in this day and age of instant timing and results. I made it out to DG12 for the second straight year, and come away reminded how 99.99999% of the participants are in it for experiences that have nothing at all to do with competition. Strange Brew to me.
The 2000 Women’s Olympic Trials Marathon almost didn’t happen. I’d been on the WLDR Executive committee for just over a year and this was the biggest thing that had yet come down the pike. Charleston, SC had hosted the ’96 Trials with little political fanfare. *Editor’s note: The 1992 Women’s Olympic Trials Marathon was in Houston. I was standing along Allen Parkway watching when Cathy O’Brien and Craig Christian’s old buddy Janis Klecker were battling for the lead. Racing on wet pavement, Klecker went down hard. Cathy immediately turned around and helped Janis back up and into the race. Klecker would go on to win over O’Brien by :24. And left an impression of true sportsmanship that I’ll never forget.
Back to 2000. The Confederate flag has flown over the courthouse in Charleston for as long as necks have been red. A group of athletes bravely took a stand and the symbol of that part of The South came under fire. And the Trials almost wound up being contested by those infernal attorneys instead of the athletes. Tough times.
And proving the hand can always be on the other foot. When the BIX 7 first hosted our USA National Championships a group of African athletes filed suit against the race claiming discrimination because they were excluded from the “American Only” prize purse. It was the first time in the history of the race that money was restricted and it almost cost our champs program the opportunity to partner with one of the Great American Road Races.
I’ve had people wonder how (and why) I put up with the local politics of running. Its all relative man.
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