The first running boom in the 1970’s produced some of today’s most iconic road racing events such as Falmouth and Litchfield that attract capacity fields year in and out. The era also produced mega marathons such as NYC and Chicago that are now destination events attracting runners from all over the world with elite international fields. Athletic shoe companies such as Nike and New Balance went from little known brands to global enterprises fueling the sport with the sponsorship of road races, track events and the elite athletes that competed in them. The running boom also produced a unique cast of characters that made running events, and their post race parties, extremely entertaining. The era was pre internet and the randomness of who would show up at the races made it even more special. This podcast is about their stories and walks you through how they got involved in the sport and what they are doing now.
Our guest this week is Rhode Island running legend Hollie Walton. As fate would have it Hollie just happened to be a freshman at Hope High School where Bobby Doyle and Ted McLaughlin were beginning their legendary careers. Before the two began to influence his stellar career, Hollie somehow missed the running portion of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test and was about to flunk gym class his freshman year! Fortunately the physical education teacher found him in the gym shooting baskets and convinced him to finish the test with a one mile run on the track. With borrowed sneakers that were two sizes too big and dress pants, Hollie cruised through the mile in 4:50 and the rest is history. We hope you enjoy this episode as Hollie recounts his epic career from Hope High School, Johnson & Wales, University of Texas El Paso and back to J&W as a club runner.
With over 67 state championships in cross country, indoor and outdoor track Jim Doyle is one of the most successful high school coaches in any sport in the United States. In 2017 Jim was inducted into the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Hall of Fame and in 2018 was honored by the National High School Coaches Association as the National High School Boys' Cross Country Coach of the Year! In this week's episode we discuss with Jim how he became involved in competitive running during the running boom of the 70's, his transition into coaching in the 80's, and how he has become so successful coaching and mentoring countless young runners over the years. We hope to see you at one of the Bobby Doyle foundation events this summer. There will be a wine and beer tasting event at The Guild Brewing Co. in Pawtucket, RI from 6-9 p.m. on June 24th and the annual Bobby Doyle Summer Classic 5 mile Road Race on August 14th. https://www.bobbydoyleraces.org/
As a high energy 7th grader, Cathy O'Brien found herself on the Dover NH high cross-country team. Her coach predicted that Cathy would be “fantabulous” if she worked at her craft. Any running chronicle of the 80's and 90's shows she did. At 16 she ran the inaugural 1984 women's Olympic marathon trials, and within months, closed out her high school career as a 5-time state cross-country, and Kinney national champion. Post high school adjustments followed, but Cathy was soon back on track, with refocused energy, validating earlier predictions by becoming a 1988 US Olympic marathoner at 20. Her career ascended, highlighted by a world record for 10-miles, a second Olympic marathon berth in 1992, a 2:29 marathon PR in Los Angeles and a Mt. Washington Road race title. Cathy talks with the Runner's Reunion team about running in those simpler times, a period without the distraction and pressures of social media and message board opinions. We reflect on Title IX, classical music versus 80's rock, honor, sportsmanship, and while on the glide path to motherhood, and her current career in musical education, the value of victories paid in lobsters versus cash.
During this time “Hodgiesan” traveled to Japan four times to compete in several iconic marathons and road races. His Olympic dreams stayed alive as he competed in the ‘84 and ‘88 marathon trials. He planned for his last race as a journeyman pro to be the ‘88 track trials. After that the plan was to finish school and get a “real” job. After the ‘88 track trials however Bob had one more offer to travel to Japan for one “last” race. Bob's wife Frannie jokingly matched the offer and the trip never happened! Check out Bob's epic win at the 1982 Beppu Marathon!
This week we are “On The Road” with Bob Hodge as he discusses his competitive running career that spanned the pre-running boom days growing up in gritty streets of Lowell through the early 1990s . During his youth Lowell's famous textile mills were closing at an alarming rate with its population dropping just as quickly. Bob's brother Billy went to Vietnam and never returned. It was a turbulent time with Richard Nixon elected to restore law and order only to resign five years later as a result of the Watergate scandal. Running became Bob's escape from the disillusionment many youth felt at the time. Bob's passion and talent for running were a perfect match for the running boom that offered him a career as a running vagabond enabling him to travel the world and accumulate a book full of tales. You can read all of Bob's stories in his book “Tales of the Times”.
This week's episode features Scott Mason who was one of the many runners influenced by the running boom in the late 70's. Having never competed in high school or college, Scott rose through the ranks to become a top regional runner and one of the few Rhode Islanders to clock sub 50 minutes for 10 miles. Scott combined his passion for the sport with his love for photography to provide us with a visual documentary of the local running scene that spans five decades. Scott's enjoyment for camaraderie the sport has offered continues to this day as he can be seen “shooting” at many running events throughout New England. Always on the search for a good “Hazy”, Scott is looking forward to the next Runners Reunion event he is planning with Gerry Beagan and Charlie Breagy. Click Here To Check Out Scott's Photography
Our latest episode features Portsmouth Abbey (RI) and Harvard standout John Murphy. At times John's running career provided him solace from the challenges of daily life but also great frustration due to injuries. At Harvard John was mentored by the legendary Bill McCurdy who helped him develop a resolve to persevere through injuries to compete against some of the very best the NCAA had to offer. John's resolve and grit would be tested once again in 2005 when he suffered a stroke during the Chicago Marathon. Through fate and family support, John has made a remarkable recovery considering the severity of his stroke. He is now an advocate for stroke awareness and the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle so that other families can avoid disabilities that may result from a stroke. John's Stroke Advocacy Work
From the slopes of Ski Valley in Cumberland, RI to the foothills of Denali Tom Egan recounts his running adventures from his early days competing on the Cumberland High track team to a 15 mile run on sea ice in the Arctic Circle navigating through a dangerous ice fog. 100,000 Mile Journey
Our latest episode features Ironman Triathlon champion Karen Smyers. Karen recounts her early days as a competitive swimmer through her dominance in the world as a professional triathlete and how the sport became a lifestyle that continues to this day. For a full bio on Karen you can visit https://www.karensmyers.com/
Legendary Bates College track legend, and fixture in New England Running scene for more than forty years, discusses his early days of racing and training in Maine and competing with some of New England's best runners during the height of the running boom in the early 80's.
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