-
Team MousePlanet
MousePad Moderator
MousePlanet Staff
Originally Posted by
Drince88
Here's a great (to me)
article about Mary Decker Slaney. There was a show about her on ESPN yesterday, I hope to be able to catch it in reruns. I wasn't into running then, though I had good friends who were, but I still looked up to her as an awesome athlete with really lousy Olympics luck.
It's running next week. We caught the tail end of it so we set it to record on our DVR when it runs again.
I was going through a running kick when that whole thing happened (my first marathon was in 1981), and I'm old enough that I was paying attention to the build-up. For those who remember that huge drama with Tonya Harding at the Olympics, this whole thing with Mary Decker was just as full of drama.
It's a little hard to know now what the brouhaha was about, but going into the Olympics, the media was REALLY playing up the Mary Decker story. It was Mary Decker versus the barefoot South African pixie.... and at the time, South Africa was still segregated from apartheid, so there was this big un-PC thing about South Africa, as well. Mary Decker was the all-American girl and we just COULD not let some little girl from an officially racist country win, right?
Plus, Zola Budd was decades before her time because she didn't wear shoes when she raced. She didn't wear minimalist shoes (the term wasn't even used back then); she just ran with no shoes.
I remember watching it when it happened. It happened so fast and as fast as the blink of an eye, Mary Decker tumbled onto the ground and was rolling around and crying.
Zola Budd got so upset that you could see how the air just totally deflated out of her.
Everyone assumes Zola Budd won that race. She didn't. Some blond woman did. Somebody whose name nobody remembers, because all the cameras were focused on Mary Decker (well, and Zola Budd).
Let me tell you, initially we all felt bad for Mary Decker and shot evil glances at Zola Budd... but then after a while Mary Decker just started coming off as a royal whiner. That's really all I remember.
MousePlanet Staff Copy Editor. Keep calm and carry on! Learn how you can travel with just your carry-ons, at my Travelite FAQ! Go Team MousePlanet! My dream came true! I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Required finish time: 4:00. My BQ time: 3:54:48! All-time marathons completed: 11; halfs: 45.
-
08-15-2013 11:38 AM
# ADS
-
Ready for MA World Explorers!
I do have it set to record!
Funny, I remember the winner was very blond also.
Was Joan Benoit Samuelson about the same time as Mary Decker Slaney, but with the longer distances?
-
Team MousePlanet
MousePad Moderator
MousePlanet Staff
Originally Posted by
Drince88
Was Joan Benoit Samuelson about the same time as Mary Decker Slaney, but with the longer distances?
Yeah... maybe a little earlier (but she also had a longer career). I think Joan Benoit mostly focused on the marathon distance. She was kind of in that same pack with Patti Catalano, Bill Rogers, Alberto Salazar, maybe Frank Shorter (although I think he's was mostly big in the '70s). Kind of that golden age in the '70s and '80s where the winners of American marathons were mostly American.
I remember seeing Frank Shorter in person--he ran the 1982 Honolulu Marathon. I just remember he wore a white singlet and he really REALLY needed one of these.
MousePlanet Staff Copy Editor. Keep calm and carry on! Learn how you can travel with just your carry-ons, at my Travelite FAQ! Go Team MousePlanet! My dream came true! I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Required finish time: 4:00. My BQ time: 3:54:48! All-time marathons completed: 11; halfs: 45.
-
Contributing Writer
Originally Posted by
Lani
Yeah... maybe a little earlier (but she also had a longer career). I think Joan Benoit mostly focused on the marathon distance. She was kind of in that same pack with Patti Catalano, Bill Rogers, Alberto Salazar, maybe Frank Shorter (although I think he's was mostly big in the '70s). Kind of that golden age in the '70s and '80s where the winners of American marathons were mostly American.
I remember seeing Frank Shorter in person--he ran the 1982 Honolulu Marathon. I just remember he wore a white singlet and he really REALLY needed
one of these.
Actually Joan won the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984 which was the same year that Mary and Zola had their issues. And Joan is still doing amazing things as a masters runner.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Team MousePlanet
MousePad Moderator
MousePlanet Staff
Originally Posted by
RunningFool
Actually Joan won the first women's Olympic marathon in 1984 which was the same year that Mary and Zola had their issues. And Joan is still doing amazing things as a masters runner.
The amazing part about all that is that just a few decades earlier, it was a commonly held belief that the female body was simply incapable of running long distances, and thus there WERE no events for women (or women were not allowed to enter). Imagine some of those fuddy duddies if they traveled in time to today!
MousePlanet Staff Copy Editor. Keep calm and carry on! Learn how you can travel with just your carry-ons, at my Travelite FAQ! Go Team MousePlanet! My dream came true! I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Required finish time: 4:00. My BQ time: 3:54:48! All-time marathons completed: 11; halfs: 45.
-
Contributing Writer
Originally Posted by
Lani
The amazing part about all that is that just a few decades earlier, it was a commonly held belief that the female body was simply incapable of running long distances, and thus there WERE no events for women (or women were not allowed to enter). Imagine some of those fuddy duddies if they traveled in time to today!
No kidding. The classic picture of the attempt to rip off Kathleen Switzer's race number in the 1967 Boston Marathon course by race director Jock Semple because women weren't allowed in the race (and of her then-boyfriend body-blocking Semple away from her) captures a truly iconic moment in women's running.
Also a classic was the belief that a woman's uterus would fall out (!) if they did strength training. I still remember my late mother telling me that in total seriousness when I started lifting weights. Thought she was kidding. Nope.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
The danger of running and smoking takes a 'you must be kidding' turn in this article originally reported in the Bowling Green Daily News.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
Posted this morning by Hal Higdon
Registration opens today (Monday, August 19) for the 2014 Boston Marathon, at least for those 5,000 runners still on the course when the bombs exploded. They will have until August 29 to submit their entries. Registration for BQ runners begins in September. Charity runners register separately. Good luck to all of you able to run Boston 2014.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Team MousePlanet
MousePad Moderator
MousePlanet Staff
Originally Posted by
RunningFool
Posted this morning by Hal Higdon
Registration opens today (Monday, August 19) for the 2014 Boston Marathon, at least for those 5,000 runners still on the course when the bombs exploded. They will have until August 29 to submit their entries. Registration for BQ runners begins in September. Charity runners register separately. Good luck to all of you able to run Boston 2014.
This is really smart because it will give race organizers a very good idea of how many spots they still have left for regular BQ runners.
MousePlanet Staff Copy Editor. Keep calm and carry on! Learn how you can travel with just your carry-ons, at my Travelite FAQ! Go Team MousePlanet! My dream came true! I qualified for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Required finish time: 4:00. My BQ time: 3:54:48! All-time marathons completed: 11; halfs: 45.
-
Force is strong in this one
I ran alongside this guy at the Ironman 70.3 Racine last month. Even though I was only alongside him for about 1/4 mile, it was pretty inspiring.
In the year leading up to my 40th birthday, I successfully ran 40 races ending with Ironman Lake Tahoe! Follow me on
Facebook!
-
Contributing Writer
If you are ever in the Redwood City, CA area and want to tackle what sounds like a REALLY tough challenging run, check out the story of Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, (both of SF 49ner fame) and a workout known only as The Hill.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
While the story of Diana Nyad's successful swim from Cuba to Florida isn't running-specific per say, her message is so inspiring especially in light of the challenges many of us faced this last weekend in Disneyland.
Her face sunburned and lips swollen, with barely enough energy to speak, Nyad waded ashore at Key West after a 53-hour swim and delivered a simple message to onlookers: "We should never, ever give up .... You never are too old to chase your dreams."
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
Interesting news from the Hong Kong Marathon. Careful how and when you take a picture...
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Ready for MA World Explorers!
Cool Running News
You can't force people not to be stupid. If you're going to STOP during a race to take a selfie, don't do it where people will run into you!
-
Contributing Writer
Originally Posted by
Drince88
You can't force people not to be stupid. If you're going to STOP during a race to take a selfie, don't do it where people will run into you!
Can you also speak to the folks who text during a race...?
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Registered User
Cool Running News
Originally Posted by
RunningFool
Can you also speak to the folks who text during a race...?
If its not an event with tracking I'll text my hubby "10" so he knows I'm close.
If you can dream it, you can do it. ~Walt Disney
-
MousePlanet Staff
MousePlanet Staff
Originally Posted by
fairestoneofall
If its not an event with tracking I'll text my hubby "10" so he knows I'm close.
My kids don't have smart phones and didn't have unlimited texts - and Tracking doesn't always work. They were waiting at the finish line for mom AND dad. Texting was clearer and more reliable than phone calls.
Yep, I texted!
Parenting in the Parks[/url]
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you.[/b]
"You should do totally do this thing, but just remember, it's going to suck eggs" #ThingsMyFriendsSayToMe
-
Simba's Pride
Originally Posted by
fairestoneofall
If its not an event with tracking I'll text my hubby "10" so he knows I'm close.
Yup, I texted Kevin to let him know I was behind my expected pace, and then "12" so he knew I was almost there. Tried not to get in anyone's way (though most people near me were walking by this point.)
-
Ready for MA World Explorers!
Cool Running News
I've texted to 'I'm crossing the bridge' to let my sisters know I was almost to the finish and to make their way to where they could see me. But not in such a way that anyone would potentially run into me!
-
Contributing Writer
And I think all of you show the difference between a quick note (no doubt made off out of the way on the side of the road) and the folks who walk down the center of the road writing an novel.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Registered User
Cool Running News
Originally Posted by
RunningFool
And I think all of you show the difference between a quick note (no doubt made off out of the way on the side of the road) and the folks who walk down the center of the road writing an novel.
And this is the key to the whole thing.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world... Those who know binary and those who don't.
-
Contributing Writer
For those of you speedy folks who have a BQ (Boston Qualifier) and are on the fence on registration, take note that registration closes at 5:00 p.m. 9/20/2013. If any spots remain on Monday 9/23/2013, registration will reopen on a first-come, first-served basis for anyone who has a BQ until registration is full.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
I just ran across an interesting article about what is known as the 'dirtiest race' in running history. It's a pretty amazing story from the 1988 Seoul Olympics about what has been identified as rampant doping at the highest performance levels. If you are at all a student of the history of running, this is one story not to be missed.
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
Contributing Writer
Good luck to all of you who are waiting to hear if you will be running the 2014 Boston Marathon. 8000 qualifiers applied for the remaining 5000 spots last week. Entrants will be notified of their status Wednesday September 25th. Fingers crossed!
RunningFool
Next non-Disney short distance event: Good question...
Next non-Disney Half: TBD
Next runDisney event: W&D Two Course Challenge & 5k
-
09-25-2013, 01:03 PM
#100
Force is strong in this one
Originally Posted by
RunningFool
I just sent in my charity application on Monday.
In the year leading up to my 40th birthday, I successfully ran 40 races ending with Ironman Lake Tahoe! Follow me on
Facebook!
Bookmarks