Monthly Archives: March 2022

50 Years of Running: The Fuse

And the years that I spent lost in the mysteryFall away leaving only the sound of the drumLike a part of meIt speaks to the heart of meForget what life used to beYou are what you choose to beIt’s whatever … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Return engagement

Moving back into your parent’s house after six or seven years of self-sustaining independence is an odd but sometimes inevitable choice. With Linda crammed into a single room sharing expenses with a fellow teacher, there was no space to join … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Exhaust fumes and lane changes

By November of 1984, I’d raced enough that by the 17th of November when I ran a 20:17 four-mile… that should have been enough to call it quits. But then my former coach and then-business associate Trent Richards got involved … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: An end to the city experiment

For almost two years my roommate and I made the best of our city life together. But both our lives were starting to change. His graduate work in exercise physiology at the University of Illinois-Chicago was winding down, and my … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Hanging out with Bill Rodgers

My former coach and business associate Trent Richards ran a side hustle as a race director for road running events. He recruited his former athletes to work logistics, run timekeeping equipment and help with setup. It was always a bit … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: The Curse of Marathon Santa

In late September ’84, I was picking races closer to the suburbs as my time living in the city was coming to a close. Spotting an event listed in the Warrenville area, I signed up on race morning and lined … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Noble causes and otherwise

We didn’t even spend $500 on our trip out west to Colorado in mid-August 1984. Over the years, I’ve met other people traveling around the country on similarly meager funds. They always seemed happier than people spending tons of money … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Go West Young Man

In August of 1984, I polished off the last summer racing commitment and packed up to drive west with Linda to visit her sister Diane during a music residency in Aspen, Colorado. Diane had not yet earned a spot playing … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Nike, you can always tread on me

The first pair of really revolutionary running shoes that I wore were Nike waffle trainers and racers. We bought the Nike Waffle Trainers during our college years for daily workouts. They were blue and yellow, stable and reliable, and we … Continue reading

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50 Years of Running: Getting past the crap and the flies

The year was half over, and running races in March, April, May, and June was fun, but the brain and body needed a rest. By late July of 1984, I was ready for a break from racing, but there were … Continue reading

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