Friday, March 31, 2006
Lose an hour of your life
Yes, day light savings time is this Sunday, and yes "spring forward" means we have to give back that extra hour of sleep that we got last fall.
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The World XC championships
The world XC championship races will be run tonight and tomorrow night in Japan. The first race will start at 9:22 pm Milwaukee time. If you want to see it live there is a web site here that will beam you the whole thing commercial free for 19.99. That's not bad. Will Bekele take both men's races again? or will Austarlia's Mottram slip past him?
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Thursday, March 30, 2006
Better late than never
When runners go bad...
The Denver post has an interesting article here about a con-man/ kleptomaniac facing life in prison. James Hogue is better known in running circles as the 26 year old runner who enrolled in high school in California claiming to be a sixteen year old orphan. He won a number of very big races before someone checked his birth certificate and exposed him.
Heh.
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Heh.
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
The competition just moved up a notch
Dom e-mailed to confirm that Monroe is now in DII for this T&F season. They have some impressive times already this season. 8:15 in the 4x800, a few guys at about 2:00 flat, sub 10 min two miler and a few good milers. DII at the State meet might be more exciting then the DI meet.
Good deal.
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Good deal.
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Winning with the rule book
The "rules are rules " people made their presence known again in the finals of the women's 4x400 at the just finished Commonwealth games in Australia. The English team won the race easily but were DQ'd because their third runner lined up in the wrong order. FOX has a nice article on it here
Once again it proves that people who can't win on merit always seem to have spent their time memorizing the rule book instead of training.
UPDATE: here
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Once again it proves that people who can't win on merit always seem to have spent their time memorizing the rule book instead of training.
UPDATE: here
Read more!
The genius of Bill Bowerman
Bill Bowerman was a master at devising killer interval work outs.
Two that stand out are the 30/40 and the 220 dutchman relay.
CONTINUED
In the 30/40 the victim runs the first 220 in 30 seconds and then without stopping runs the next 220 in 40 seconds and then again without stopping runs the next one in 30 sec and so on. You run until you can no longer get close to the numbers. Legend has it that Prefontaine ran 26 laps like this, but people who ran with him at the time claim it was actually 18 laps. Good college runners can do 10 or 12 laps. High school teams tend to modify it as 35/45. Either way it can be a killer.
The relay iteration is slightly more diabolical. Victim #1 runs the first 220 and hands off to victim #2. #1 then must cut across the infield in time to take the baton back from #2. The pace determines how much rest you can get.
Bowerman is of course also known for having started a small shoe company named after an obscure greek god.
Run Strong!
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Two that stand out are the 30/40 and the 220 dutchman relay.
CONTINUED
In the 30/40 the victim runs the first 220 in 30 seconds and then without stopping runs the next 220 in 40 seconds and then again without stopping runs the next one in 30 sec and so on. You run until you can no longer get close to the numbers. Legend has it that Prefontaine ran 26 laps like this, but people who ran with him at the time claim it was actually 18 laps. Good college runners can do 10 or 12 laps. High school teams tend to modify it as 35/45. Either way it can be a killer.
The relay iteration is slightly more diabolical. Victim #1 runs the first 220 and hands off to victim #2. #1 then must cut across the infield in time to take the baton back from #2. The pace determines how much rest you can get.
Bowerman is of course also known for having started a small shoe company named after an obscure greek god.
Run Strong!
Read more!
Dom's big day
Did we mention that Dom is getting married?
The deed is set for April 1st and we thought that a few classic quotes on the subject might be in order. If you have some of your own feel free to post them in the comments section.
//
"It doesn't matter how many gold medals I win, my wedding day will always be the best day of my life. You can control your destiny in athletics, but you can't make people love you." -Decathlete gold medallist Dean Macey in a recent email interview
CONTINUED
//
"... such knowledge and such loving pitched me headlong into a crisis wherein I suffered a blindness, from which I arose - married." - Walter Wangerin Jr.
//
"Love means loving the unlovable - or it is no virtue at all." - Heretics, 1905
//
"Women are the only realists; their whole object in life is to pit their realism against the extravagant, excessive, and occasionally drunken idealism of men." - A Handful of Authors
//
"The whole pleasure of marriage is that it is a perpetual crisis." - "David Copperfield," Dickens
//
"Women have a thirst for order and beauty as for something physical; there is a strange female power of hating ugliness and waste as good men can only hate sin and bad men virtue." - Chesterton
//
"Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline." - Manalive
//
"It is the nature of love to bind itself, and the institution of marriage merely pays the average man the compliment of taking him at his word. "
//
Read more!
The deed is set for April 1st and we thought that a few classic quotes on the subject might be in order. If you have some of your own feel free to post them in the comments section.
//
"It doesn't matter how many gold medals I win, my wedding day will always be the best day of my life. You can control your destiny in athletics, but you can't make people love you." -Decathlete gold medallist Dean Macey in a recent email interview
CONTINUED
//
"... such knowledge and such loving pitched me headlong into a crisis wherein I suffered a blindness, from which I arose - married." - Walter Wangerin Jr.
//
"Love means loving the unlovable - or it is no virtue at all." - Heretics, 1905
//
"Women are the only realists; their whole object in life is to pit their realism against the extravagant, excessive, and occasionally drunken idealism of men." - A Handful of Authors
//
"The whole pleasure of marriage is that it is a perpetual crisis." - "David Copperfield," Dickens
//
"Women have a thirst for order and beauty as for something physical; there is a strange female power of hating ugliness and waste as good men can only hate sin and bad men virtue." - Chesterton
//
"Marriage is a duel to the death which no man of honour should decline." - Manalive
//
"It is the nature of love to bind itself, and the institution of marriage merely pays the average man the compliment of taking him at his word. "
//
Read more!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
There is a race tonight
The varsity Girl's will be running an abbreviated slate at Whitefish bay this afternoon. This is a fairly substantial meet and the competition will be worth the price of admission. This was not on the original list of meets because we were offered a spot at the last minute. The boy's will not be there. This will be the last meet before conference on the 8th.
UPDATE: Congratulations to Claire who won the 1600 in 5:19.5, she finished just over 20 seconds ahead of the second place runner. If anybody else was there and has more complete numbers feel free to shoot me an e-mail, or post in the comments section.
Read more!
UPDATE: Congratulations to Claire who won the 1600 in 5:19.5, she finished just over 20 seconds ahead of the second place runner. If anybody else was there and has more complete numbers feel free to shoot me an e-mail, or post in the comments section.
Read more!
Douglas Adams was right !
For those of you who have read the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, the following post will be interesting, the rest of you should get a copy and read THGTTG as it now seems to be right. Apparently the answer to life the universe and everything really is 42.
I'm sure that Dom can find a way to build an interval workout around this theme
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I'm sure that Dom can find a way to build an interval workout around this theme
Read more!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Thursday's JV meet
Whitefish Bay Invite @ WFB High School Field House
Thursday, March 23rd 4:30
Bus Departs from the SHS @ 3:30pm. Continued
All athletes must be in uniform to board the bus!
No spikes are allowed
Shot put: each athlete given 4 throws
High Jump begins at 4' 3"
Long Jump: each jumper given 3 jumps
Order of events: Varsity, JV, and then the Exhibition( they all could be combined)
1. 2 mile relay
2. 60 yd High Hurdles
3. 60 yd dash
4. 1600 meter run
5. 4 lap relay
6. 440 dash
7. 880 dash
8. 220 dash
9. 2 mile run
10. mile relay
Attached: Athlete entries! Because of so many athletes that have prior obligations with the concert we may have to scratch athletes from their events. Please let one of your coaches know by 4:15 on thursday!!!
Read more!
Thursday, March 23rd 4:30
Bus Departs from the SHS @ 3:30pm. Continued
All athletes must be in uniform to board the bus!
No spikes are allowed
Shot put: each athlete given 4 throws
High Jump begins at 4' 3"
Long Jump: each jumper given 3 jumps
Order of events: Varsity, JV, and then the Exhibition( they all could be combined)
1. 2 mile relay
2. 60 yd High Hurdles
3. 60 yd dash
4. 1600 meter run
5. 4 lap relay
6. 440 dash
7. 880 dash
8. 220 dash
9. 2 mile run
10. mile relay
Attached: Athlete entries! Because of so many athletes that have prior obligations with the concert we may have to scratch athletes from their events. Please let one of your coaches know by 4:15 on thursday!!!
Read more!
Monday, March 20, 2006
Results from 3/18
Partial results for the guys: 
Dennis 10:26 2 mile 8:36/2:05 4x8
Andrew 10:28 2 mile /1:34 4x8
TJ /2:03 4x8
Brian /2:54 4x8 :54 4x4
David 2:10 800m :56 4x4
Jon 5:04 mile
Doug 5:01 mile :59 4x4
Tim :26 200m :57 4x4
Nick 8.1 55m H
The rest will be on Wisconsin Track and Field soon.
END
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Dennis 10:26 2 mile 8:36/2:05 4x8
Andrew 10:28 2 mile /1:34 4x8
TJ /2:03 4x8
Brian /2:54 4x8 :54 4x4
David 2:10 800m :56 4x4
Jon 5:04 mile
Doug 5:01 mile :59 4x4
Tim :26 200m :57 4x4
Nick 8.1 55m H
The rest will be on Wisconsin Track and Field soon.
END
Read more!
Sunday, March 19, 2006
The Shorewood Invite 06
I don't have official results yet, but I do have some high-lights...
CONTINUED
On the girls' side, half of the team was either at solo ensemble or home in bed with the flu. Alyssa won the high jump outright by clearing 4' 8'' apparently without practicing all week. Claire looked to be in mid-season form in the two mile. She finished almost three laps ahead of the field. I will post the rest of the times when coach K. sends them to me.
On the boys' side the meet started late, ended late and featured a very creative 4 x 8 format. The boys did manage to beat a good Wisconsin Lutheran team in the 4 x 8 but because of a major screw up by the officials (who apparently were having trouble counting to four) Andrew ran three laps while Brian got to run five. The look on Brian's face when they told him to go around for another lap was priceless. Doug and Jon looked good in the mile, 5:01 and 5:07 respectively. Dave and Zach covered the 800 around 2:10 ish. And Dennis and Andrew battled in the two mile for what was the most aggressive race of the evening. Andrew managed to add several new spike wounds to his collection.
It was a good first meet, but with the exception of Claire, everyone looked a little rusty, as if they hadn't done a lot of running since Cross Country. It'll come.
Actual numbers will go up when the coaches get them to me.
Pictures will go up late monday, but they are mostly blurry because of the tungsten lighting.
The JV is at WFB mid week.
Cheers.
Read more!
CONTINUED
On the girls' side, half of the team was either at solo ensemble or home in bed with the flu. Alyssa won the high jump outright by clearing 4' 8'' apparently without practicing all week. Claire looked to be in mid-season form in the two mile. She finished almost three laps ahead of the field. I will post the rest of the times when coach K. sends them to me.
On the boys' side the meet started late, ended late and featured a very creative 4 x 8 format. The boys did manage to beat a good Wisconsin Lutheran team in the 4 x 8 but because of a major screw up by the officials (who apparently were having trouble counting to four) Andrew ran three laps while Brian got to run five. The look on Brian's face when they told him to go around for another lap was priceless. Doug and Jon looked good in the mile, 5:01 and 5:07 respectively. Dave and Zach covered the 800 around 2:10 ish. And Dennis and Andrew battled in the two mile for what was the most aggressive race of the evening. Andrew managed to add several new spike wounds to his collection.
It was a good first meet, but with the exception of Claire, everyone looked a little rusty, as if they hadn't done a lot of running since Cross Country. It'll come.
Actual numbers will go up when the coaches get them to me.
Pictures will go up late monday, but they are mostly blurry because of the tungsten lighting.
The JV is at WFB mid week.
Cheers.
Read more!
Friday, March 17, 2006
Do you know your 800m history?
In 1978 Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett, both of Britain, were considered to be the greatest middle distance runners in the world. The fact that they almost never ran against each other (7 times in 15 years) helped stoke their legend and the press was always looking for proof of their theory that the two disliked each other. At a recent breakfast Coe recalled the first 800 that the two ran head to head.
(click the 'read more' button for the rest)
#####
Coe recalled the 800m at the 1978 European Championships in Prague, the first of their head-to-head clashes to command world attention. Coe led to 700m and when he faded, Ovett ghosted by him for what looked like certain victory. Ovett ended up with a national record but only the silver medal as the little-known East German, Olaf Beyer, sprinted past both Britons to take the gold.
Coe said: "After the race, I was virtually on all fours, desperately trying to get some oxygen into my lungs, when Steve came over, put his hand on my shoulder and said something. I guess the media thought we were having a row but what Steve actually said was, 'Who the **** was that?' "
####
Coe's dad was also his coach and Seb had this to say about his dad's advice about the race:
Seb said he remembers his fathers words clearly, "I want you to run as hard as you can for as long as you can". Seb followed his word exactly and went thru in 49.32 and 1:16 at the 6, only to start dying with 100 to go. "I knew I had nothing left and was waiting for a white vest to come sailing past", which it did, "He even managed to smile at me" Seb recalls. All of a sudden the blue vest of East German Beyer flew past the both of us and went on to win in a new European record of 1:43.8 with Ovett second breaking Seb's UK record with 1:44.09 (the fastest time Ovett would ever run). His father was pleased with his effort and he said "Good, now we just have to work on running two laps as fast as the first".
####
And lastly, Ovett describes how he met his coach and got his start:
Ovett talked about meeting Harry Wilson his long time coach by chance when he showed up late to a training day. He was scheduled to work with the sprint group, but got there late and was sent to join the distance group, where they had him run a series of 1000m reps. The rest as they say was history
####
Okay, one more snippet, just because it is so good. These comments are from the same breakfast and are recounted by someone who was there :
Next he(Ovett) talked about his race in the World cup final in 81 when he kicked so hard that a clearly blown John Walker had to step off the track with 200m to go. Ovett was puzzled when he looked back after crossing the line as to the whereabouts of Walker. A few minutes later Walker walked past and muttered to Ovett, "Why did you have to go and do that?".
Ovett also discussed the day he won a half marathon race the week before breaking the mile WR. He was only there because a few club mates asked him to drive them to the race in the mini van. Ovett entered the race with the intentions of getting his 10 mile workout completed for the day, but due to his competitive nature, he kept going and moved to the lead just after 10 miles to win the race by over a minute.
###
Good luck to everone on saturday!
Read more!
(click the 'read more' button for the rest)
#####
Coe recalled the 800m at the 1978 European Championships in Prague, the first of their head-to-head clashes to command world attention. Coe led to 700m and when he faded, Ovett ghosted by him for what looked like certain victory. Ovett ended up with a national record but only the silver medal as the little-known East German, Olaf Beyer, sprinted past both Britons to take the gold.
Coe said: "After the race, I was virtually on all fours, desperately trying to get some oxygen into my lungs, when Steve came over, put his hand on my shoulder and said something. I guess the media thought we were having a row but what Steve actually said was, 'Who the **** was that?' "
####
Coe's dad was also his coach and Seb had this to say about his dad's advice about the race:
Seb said he remembers his fathers words clearly, "I want you to run as hard as you can for as long as you can". Seb followed his word exactly and went thru in 49.32 and 1:16 at the 6, only to start dying with 100 to go. "I knew I had nothing left and was waiting for a white vest to come sailing past", which it did, "He even managed to smile at me" Seb recalls. All of a sudden the blue vest of East German Beyer flew past the both of us and went on to win in a new European record of 1:43.8 with Ovett second breaking Seb's UK record with 1:44.09 (the fastest time Ovett would ever run). His father was pleased with his effort and he said "Good, now we just have to work on running two laps as fast as the first".
####
And lastly, Ovett describes how he met his coach and got his start:
Ovett talked about meeting Harry Wilson his long time coach by chance when he showed up late to a training day. He was scheduled to work with the sprint group, but got there late and was sent to join the distance group, where they had him run a series of 1000m reps. The rest as they say was history
####
Okay, one more snippet, just because it is so good. These comments are from the same breakfast and are recounted by someone who was there :
Next he(Ovett) talked about his race in the World cup final in 81 when he kicked so hard that a clearly blown John Walker had to step off the track with 200m to go. Ovett was puzzled when he looked back after crossing the line as to the whereabouts of Walker. A few minutes later Walker walked past and muttered to Ovett, "Why did you have to go and do that?".
Ovett also discussed the day he won a half marathon race the week before breaking the mile WR. He was only there because a few club mates asked him to drive them to the race in the mini van. Ovett entered the race with the intentions of getting his 10 mile workout completed for the day, but due to his competitive nature, he kept going and moved to the lead just after 10 miles to win the race by over a minute.
###
Good luck to everone on saturday!
Read more!
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The First Race is Saturday
Saturday march 18th / UWM Klotche CenterThe first indoor race of our two race indoor season is the Shorewood Invite. The race is at the Klotche center on the north side of the UWM campus. Depending on the construction, you can enter either off of Edgewood or Maryland. There is a cost to get in because we have to cover the rental on the track.
The girls will go first. Field events will start at 8:30 and running events will start at 10:30. Running events take about 15 to 20 minutes each except when there are multiple heats or when hurdles need to go up or come down.
(please click the 'read more' button to view the rest of the post)
Here is the order of events for the meet this weekend:
Meet Schedule:
Field Events
Long Jump
High Jump
Shot Put
Pole Vault
Running events (in this order)
3200m Relay
55m Dash Trials
55m Hurdle Trials
55m Dash Semi-Final
55m Hurdle Semi-Final
800m Relay Final
Mile Run Final
55m Hurdle Final
55m Dash Final
800m Run
200m Dash
3200m Run
1600m Relay Final
The boys field events will start at 2:30; and the running events will start at 4:30. Runners should be there no later than 3:00 per Dom.
This is a great track to run on and the sight lines for spectators are pretty good as well.
See you there!
Bleg: The lighting indoors plays havoc with my camera, as you can tell by the two pictures in this post. If anyone has a better camera and wants to take a few pictures for me that would be great :)
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Workouts of the Fast and Famous
This link has an interesting collection of typical training weeks for some of the greatest middle distance runners.
http://members.iinet.net.au/~peterg1/run/aths.html
It's got some cool pictures as well.
END
Read more!
http://members.iinet.net.au/~peterg1/run/aths.html
It's got some cool pictures as well.
END
Read more!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Are you reading the British newspapers?
Steve Cram
Tuesday March 14, 2006
The Guardian
This week sees the 50th anniversary of one of the iconic moments in Australian sporting history. In 1956 John Landy, the world record holder, was running the mile at the National Championships in Melbourne when he clipped the heels of Ron Clarke. Clarke tumbled to the track and the field - expecting Landy to race on. Landy, in a move unlikely to be seen today, stopped and offered help but Clarke told him he was not hurt, accepted his apology and urged him to give chase.
click the 'read more' button for the rest of the story
The pack was 60 metres ahead but with a breathtaking last lap Landy overhauled the leaders 10 metres from the finish in a time (4:04) that suggested the world record would have gone had he not stopped. An image of the incident was voted the sporting photograph of the century by a win-conscious nation.
###
Landy as you all know was the runner who along with Wes Santee battled Bannister to be the first to break 4:00 in the mile. He was and still is the classiest guy to ever run.
UPDATE:
I found a better eye witness account from Gordon Moyes :
Landy became the world champion miler in 1954, None was faster week after week in the world over the mile and three miles than John Landy. Ron Clarke already held the Australian and World Junior Mile record. As we came close to the Olympic Games everybody was looking to John Landy to set a new world record. The greatest race I've ever seen in my life was at the 1956 National Championships in Melbourne. I was along the side fence inside a crowd of 22,000 people when the entrants lined up for the start of the 1956 National Mile Championship. Everyone knew that if John Landy got a fast start in the early part of the race he would set a new world record. We were all wanting Landy to run and win. When the gun went off the young men each representing their states sped to the first turn and at the end of the first lap Robbie Morgan-Morris had completed the first quarter mile in 59 seconds, followed by Ron Clarke, Alec Henderson, John Plummer and then John Landy. The time was right on target for a world record. At the half mile Robbie Morgan-Morris was still leading and the time was two minutes two seconds. At the start of the third lap young Ron Clarke and Landy moved forward at a cracking pace. The world record was on!
Landy had only to go with him and a new world record would be in his grasp. Then occurred an event which is etched into my mind so clearly that I can see it being replayed as if in slow motion. I can never think of the event without my eyes filling with tears. Clarke was moving to the lead as they came into the corner on the third lap. John Landy was on his shoulder. Alec Henderson tried to squeeze between the two runners and the inside edge of the curb. In doing so Clarke, with his spikes, clipped his heel. Clarke sprawled forward onto the cinder track while Henderson was knocked onto the inside arena. Landy leaped over the falling body of Clarke in front of him and as he did his sharp spikes tore into the flesh of Clarke's shoulder. The whole field either jumped over Clarke or ran round him. The crowd which had been chanting "Landy, Landy, Landy, Landy" with every stride suddenly responded with an enormous gasp. Landy then did the most incredibly stupid, beautiful, foolish, gentlemanly act I have ever seen. He stopped, ran back to the fallen young Ron Clarke and helped him up to his feet, brushed cinders from knees and checking his bloodied shoulder said "Sorry". Clarke was all right. He said to Landy "Keep going, I'm all right. Run! Run!". Landy had forgotten everything. The Australian mile title, his bid for a world record, even the approaching Olympic Games in a spontaneous gesture of sportsmanship. Clarke got to his feet and together Landy and Clarke set off after the other runners. They were 60 yards behind the rest of the field which had kept on running and the crowd did not expect them to continue. John Plummer, Merv Lincoln and Alec Henderson were leading the pack. Clarke and Landy sprinted off on that last half mile.
The crowd was shouting as with every stride Landy hauled in the front runners. He quickly ran round the rest of the field, came into the home straight leaving Clarke behind with the most powerful finish I have ever seen in my life. He stormed down the track and in the last ten yards passed Henderson and Lincoln to win the Australian Championship in four minutes, four seconds. I doubt if there has ever been a reception given an athlete in all of history as those 22,000 people gave Gentlemen John Landy that day. The cheers and the applause would not die down. It continued minute after minute as Landy completed a victory lap. There was no question he could have set a new world record that day. Stopping and going back, picking up Clarke and then running back over his tracks had cost him eight or ten seconds. But it also unleashed in him a finish that was beyond anything that we had ever seen before. We had seen the greatest mile race in history. Landy was to go on and set new world records and become a hero at the 1956 Olympic Games but nothing compares with the race that summer night in the Melbourne Olympic Park in 1956 when he stopped, picked up young Ron Clarke and forgot himself into athletic immortality.
###
great stuff!
Read more!
Tuesday March 14, 2006
The Guardian
This week sees the 50th anniversary of one of the iconic moments in Australian sporting history. In 1956 John Landy, the world record holder, was running the mile at the National Championships in Melbourne when he clipped the heels of Ron Clarke. Clarke tumbled to the track and the field - expecting Landy to race on. Landy, in a move unlikely to be seen today, stopped and offered help but Clarke told him he was not hurt, accepted his apology and urged him to give chase.
click the 'read more' button for the rest of the story
The pack was 60 metres ahead but with a breathtaking last lap Landy overhauled the leaders 10 metres from the finish in a time (4:04) that suggested the world record would have gone had he not stopped. An image of the incident was voted the sporting photograph of the century by a win-conscious nation.
###
Landy as you all know was the runner who along with Wes Santee battled Bannister to be the first to break 4:00 in the mile. He was and still is the classiest guy to ever run.
UPDATE:
I found a better eye witness account from Gordon Moyes :
Landy became the world champion miler in 1954, None was faster week after week in the world over the mile and three miles than John Landy. Ron Clarke already held the Australian and World Junior Mile record. As we came close to the Olympic Games everybody was looking to John Landy to set a new world record. The greatest race I've ever seen in my life was at the 1956 National Championships in Melbourne. I was along the side fence inside a crowd of 22,000 people when the entrants lined up for the start of the 1956 National Mile Championship. Everyone knew that if John Landy got a fast start in the early part of the race he would set a new world record. We were all wanting Landy to run and win. When the gun went off the young men each representing their states sped to the first turn and at the end of the first lap Robbie Morgan-Morris had completed the first quarter mile in 59 seconds, followed by Ron Clarke, Alec Henderson, John Plummer and then John Landy. The time was right on target for a world record. At the half mile Robbie Morgan-Morris was still leading and the time was two minutes two seconds. At the start of the third lap young Ron Clarke and Landy moved forward at a cracking pace. The world record was on!
Landy had only to go with him and a new world record would be in his grasp. Then occurred an event which is etched into my mind so clearly that I can see it being replayed as if in slow motion. I can never think of the event without my eyes filling with tears. Clarke was moving to the lead as they came into the corner on the third lap. John Landy was on his shoulder. Alec Henderson tried to squeeze between the two runners and the inside edge of the curb. In doing so Clarke, with his spikes, clipped his heel. Clarke sprawled forward onto the cinder track while Henderson was knocked onto the inside arena. Landy leaped over the falling body of Clarke in front of him and as he did his sharp spikes tore into the flesh of Clarke's shoulder. The whole field either jumped over Clarke or ran round him. The crowd which had been chanting "Landy, Landy, Landy, Landy" with every stride suddenly responded with an enormous gasp. Landy then did the most incredibly stupid, beautiful, foolish, gentlemanly act I have ever seen. He stopped, ran back to the fallen young Ron Clarke and helped him up to his feet, brushed cinders from knees and checking his bloodied shoulder said "Sorry". Clarke was all right. He said to Landy "Keep going, I'm all right. Run! Run!". Landy had forgotten everything. The Australian mile title, his bid for a world record, even the approaching Olympic Games in a spontaneous gesture of sportsmanship. Clarke got to his feet and together Landy and Clarke set off after the other runners. They were 60 yards behind the rest of the field which had kept on running and the crowd did not expect them to continue. John Plummer, Merv Lincoln and Alec Henderson were leading the pack. Clarke and Landy sprinted off on that last half mile.
The crowd was shouting as with every stride Landy hauled in the front runners. He quickly ran round the rest of the field, came into the home straight leaving Clarke behind with the most powerful finish I have ever seen in my life. He stormed down the track and in the last ten yards passed Henderson and Lincoln to win the Australian Championship in four minutes, four seconds. I doubt if there has ever been a reception given an athlete in all of history as those 22,000 people gave Gentlemen John Landy that day. The cheers and the applause would not die down. It continued minute after minute as Landy completed a victory lap. There was no question he could have set a new world record that day. Stopping and going back, picking up Clarke and then running back over his tracks had cost him eight or ten seconds. But it also unleashed in him a finish that was beyond anything that we had ever seen before. We had seen the greatest mile race in history. Landy was to go on and set new world records and become a hero at the 1956 Olympic Games but nothing compares with the race that summer night in the Melbourne Olympic Park in 1956 when he stopped, picked up young Ron Clarke and forgot himself into athletic immortality.
###
great stuff!
Read more!
