Running, Track and Field discussion

Welcome to the Running, Track and Field group! Please introduce yourselves, and be sure to mention whether you have any running experience whether recreational or competitive. We welcome your participation.

Hi everyone. I'm Steve, a school counselor in my fifties, married, kids, cats, dogs, and books pretty much fill up my house.
I was a runner for years, but foot and knee problems pretty much restrict me to walking and weight training for fitness now. I love track and field still though. I coached it at the high school level for both boys and girls in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. My favorite events are the 400, 800, and 1600 relay, because those are the ones I competed in in high school, but I pretty much enjoy the whole sport, field events included.
One of the things I like about the sport is that people of any age can do it, via fun runs, road races, all comer track meets, etc. and also the fact that a person can be a "winner" just by setting personal bests or improving, i.e. competing against themselves.
I'm a track nut who enjoys the statistics and history of the sport. Favorite athletes include Steve Prefontaine (American, Distance runner, 1970's), John Walker (New Zealand, Distance runner, 1970's), Ben Jipcho (Kenyan, Distance runner, 1960's and 70's), Brian Oldfield (American, Shot, 1970's) and Lopez Lomong (American, 1500 meters, 2000's) and a whole lot of others...

I ran the mile, 880 (now the 800), and mile relay in junior and high school. I also competed in the triple jump. (Strange mix, eh?)

Chronic shin splints prevented me from running track in college. My doctors advised me that surgery "might" help. I opted to devote full attention to my academic career in college rather than split my time with the track team and surgeons.

My best time in the mile was 4:08.7, and about 1:54 for the 880 yard run. Nothing spectacular, but I enjoyed myself. Our mile relay team was undefeated my senior year in high school. We famously beat the eventual Georgia state 5-A champions by 80 yards in that event on their home track in the spring of 1974. Meanwhile, my team was unable to compete beyond the regional meet due to lack of funding and support from our football-dominated athletic department. After all, this was the South.

Significantly, my high school track team did not have a track even for practice. In other words, we were a track team without a track. Moreover, we did not have a true coach. An assistant football coach kindly set up meets for us, and he showed up at those competitions. But I am certain he was not paid and to this day, I appreciate all that he did. Consequently, however, we were self-coached.

You're probably wondering: How could a high school team be self-coached? Well, being something of a decent student, I turned to ... BOOKS! I read every training manual, runner's biography, and track history I could find. The old Sports Illustrated series on track running events was particularly helpful, and I learned all about interval training and fartlek from SI. I developed my own training regimen and drills that served me well.

The independence and solitude of the training and races, the maximum individual effort in a team setting, excited and motivated me. I competed in other sports, but track was my absolute favorite; nothing else came close.

Some day, I am going to write a story about my track days in high school. I suspect that it will bore most people, but I believe that you guys would appreciate the tales.

Presently, I run when I can. The rigorous demands of my job as a trial attorney render training inconsistent. Yet I hope to return to the oval one day and race against fellow geezers in the "Masters' Division." (What a euphemism!)

I coached a youth track team this spring and had a blast. I intend to coach hereafter, until the powers that be tell me to go away.

Be well, my fellow running devotees!

Douglas in South Carolina

Early influences and inspirations for me as a harrier were Glenn Cunningham, Roger Bannister, Wilma Rudolph, Billy Mills, Jim Ryun, Kip Keino, Steve Prefontaine, Marty Liquori, and John Walker.

Immediately upon reading at age eleven the compelling story of Glenn Cunningham, I determined to compete in the mile. Mr. Cunningham remains a hero.

Hey guys,

Fiction writer with a day job here.

I'm a recreational runner. 2 - 3 times / week to mix with my other workouts. Usually go about 3.5 miles during the week per session, then a 5 miler on Sundays. Not a natural runner ... I slog through most times but always feel better afterward. Take the iPod with me most of the time.

Last night's run was better than expected given the heat, even at 7 pm. Some days surprise me that way. Sunday's run sucked, as I was stiff from weightlifting on Saturday and the heat at 10:30 am was also pretty stiff.

Wife is doing another triatholon this Saturday. She's nutty that way ... and a natural runner.

John,

Welcome to Running, Track and Field. I've enjoyed your erudite, thoughtful posts for other Goodreads groups, and accordingly, I am glad that you are now with this group, too.

I am also impressed that you are an active runner, and that your wife is a triathlete!

We look forward to your participation, recommendations, and insights here.

Best regards. And good luck to your wife in her tiatholon.

Douglas in South Carolina

Thanks Douglas!

Wife got third in her age group again. This time there were 800 contestants, some Elite - class.

Me, I'm going to download a new song by Godsmack to help me do maybe 3.5 miles tonight in the heat, lol.

Probably even hotter in SC where you are ...

So I managed four miles last night, and my new Godsmack song never came up in the Shuffle rotation. Had two cramps to run through, nothing disastrous. Did slow a couple times but not bad for a middle-of-the-week run.

John,

As I wrote in another post elsewhere, your energy and wide-ranging talent amaze me. You remind me of our compatriot in this Group, Steven, from stately Newnan, Georgia.

Congratulations to your wife! I don't know her age group and am too much of a gentleman to inquire; yet her finishing third in a competition against elite runners is a stunning achievement. Please pass along my exuberant congratulations to her.

Best wishes from the land of Mark Sanford, Joe "You Lie!" Wilson, Niki Haley, and the 2010 National NCAA Baseball Champions Carolina Gamecocks.

Douglas in South Carolina

Hi everybody!

I joined this group because I absolutely LOVE running in general [although I definitely prefer track over cross-country:] but we don't have track at my school! :(

I guess that's it!

Julia in Vermont

Julia,

Welcome to Running, Track and Field. It is great having you on board, and refreshing to have another woman with us.

We look forward to your participation, comments, insights and book recommendations.

Are you competing presently on the oval? If so, in what events do you specialize and enjoy the most?

Thanks again.

Douglas in South Carolina

A belated welcome to my facebook and goodreads pal John, and a welcome to Julia as well. Looking forward to whatever comments you wish to make. Hope both your running and reading (and writing) all go well.

Steve,

In addition to being a fine writer and a dogged runner, John married well. As you know, his wife is a successful triathlete. I enjoy reading about her competitions.

Julia wrote: "Hi everybody!

I joined this group because I absolutely LOVE running in general [although I definitely prefer track over cross-country:] but we don't have track at my school! :(

I guess that's it..."

Julia,

You and I have something in common, beyond our love of running.

You indicated that your high school doesn't have a track. My junior and senior high school track teams had no track!

Nevertheless, we competed the best we could and some of us did well. In fact our mile relay team was undefeated for an entire season, against some superb competition. Therefore, maybe your school can form a track team and find a place to practice. You already have the basis for a track team: experienced runners from your cross-country team who will be able to carry their endurance into the spring season, and presumably a running coach.

Our member Steve is a former college track competitor, coached a high school track for a number of years. Perhaps he can provide some insight and recommendations for you and your teammates.

Best wishes for your cross country season. Please keep us apprised of your progress.

Douglas in South Carolina

Greetings to all and I’m glad to be a part of the group. I only joined Goodreads last year and it took a while for me to get around to hunting down my fellow track & field fans. Thanks for your patience.

I am retired from the U.S. Army with 24+ years of service (all active duty). Currently working part time in Washington state while I gradually move towards full retirement. I ran track back in high school in northern California during the early 80’s in a small single A size school. Because the school and the associated high school athletic league were so small, I was able to compete in the 100, 200, 400, 4x100, and 4x400 on a regular basis and even dabbled in the 800, long jump, and triple jump. My senior year I even took part in an octathlon, which is basically a decathlon without the javelin or pole vault.

Needless to say, I didn’t set the world on fire. I went off to college at a Division I school in what was then the PAC-10 and there was no way that I could compete at that level. So I hung up my spikes but remained a fan of the sport.

My interest in track & field has had its ups and downs due to the various troubles that have plagued it (PEDs, etc.) and the demands of my military service. But I still enjoy watching the sport and reading about its history. The latter can be challenging as there aren’t many books published about track and field that make it to the retail stores. So I hope to touch base with my fellow group members to help me close the gap.

Looking forward to hearing from the rest of you.