Runner’s World 1971
In trying to learn everything I could about running, I subscribed to every running magazine published in the 1970’s. I didn’t throw any away; at least not until the end of the 80’s. The garage was getting pretty cluttered. The magazines had to go. I made copies of interesting articles, and I did keep about 10 oldies. These days, I read them and toss them. Occasionally, I will copy a good article, but after 30+ years of running, there is only so many ways you can reword, or recycle concepts and training tips. Tips on training to run a five hour marathon don’t interest me.
So it was great fun the other day when I was rummaging through the garage and found my small stack of 70’s and 80’s running mags. I picked up the top one and started reading page after page. I probably sat there for an hour, amidst the tools, Christmas decoration boxes, and storage bins. The articles brought back memories of a different time. Boy, have times changed…and then again, they haven’t that much. There are days when I’m out running, that it feels as good as it ever did. Sure, we’re a bit slower, but the afterglow is still the same.
The first magazine I poured through was the March 1971 edition of Runner’s World. Jack Bacheler and Frank Shorter were on the cover. The black and white magazine sold for 75 cents. Where were the models on the cover? No guys flaunting their six pack abs. No women in some fake running pose. Just two guys, covered in mud, duking it out on a cross country course. Both were wearing their Florida Track Club singlets.
The lead article was an interview of Frank and Jack. They talked about their training, the possibilities of making the 72 Olympics, and training to be the best they could be. This was especially interesting as I had just met Frank Shorter about a week before. He came to speak at my workplace, and talked a bit about his history, and about his current work with the US Anti-Doping Agency.
The writers read like a runner’s Hall of Fame. There were articles by Percy Cerutty, Ted Corbitt, Fred Grace, Hal Higdon, George Sheehan, Joe Henderson and Skip Stolley. An interesting note is that Hal Higdon is still listed as a Contributing Editor of Runner’s World today.
There were only a handful of ads, unlike today’s with ads on just about every other page. Most were ads for either running shoes, or running stores. There were ads for Blue Ribbon Sports selling Tiger shoes, The Running Shop in Larkspur selling Reebok, Specialty Sports in Houston, Road King shoes, and Lydiard Road Racer shoes.
An article titled Cross Country’s varied elite listed interesting profiles on Steve Prefontaine, Donal Walsh, and Don Kardong.
A race announcement caught my attention. It was for the Salt City Marathon in Syracuse, NY. What caught my eye was a line that read: Everyone Welcome (including WOMEN). I forgot how much the 70’s were still in the dark ages.
There were no hints on how to get faster and stronger with less work. The gist of the stories was that you needed to run more to get better; simple as that. George Sheehan threw in medical advice mixed with good old common sense.
Hal Higdon wrote about turning 40 and his thoughts on Master’s running. Like all of us, it’s nice to know Hal still is, and will be, always a runner.
February 10th, 2010 at 11:53 pm
I was trying to find the results of The Calloway Gardens 4, 5, or 6 mile Road race held in spring of 1974. Why am I so vague. I ran a race there around that time. There were several runners from FTC running in the race. I dont remember where I finished but I had just been in the US for about 9 months running Track and Cross Country for East Tennessee State University. I am now 56 years old and my mind is not whaT IT USED TO BE,LOL.