THE LOSS OF A RUNNING LEGEND

Running icon, Ed Whitlock, died yesterday, at the age of 86. Below is a blog I wrote on November 27, 2015, entitled "In the Presence of Greatness," after having had the honor of meeting and speaking with Ed at the Berwick, Pennsylvania Run for the Diamonds on Thanksgiving Day 2015.

Ed Whitlock was humble and and gracious. We talked about training (he joked about the irony of his daily training route: a cemetery near his home), racing, and injuries. Ed never stretched, or cross-trained. When he got injured, he would take time off and pick up with his running when he felt he was healed.

After I published my blog, I received a thank-you email from Ed. You would have thought I had handed him a million dollars. 

How awesome was this man? Here's a sample of his times at various ages. 5K: 17:23, age 67. 18:21, age 73. Half marathon: 1:20:14, age 69, 1:22:03, age 70, 1:38:59, age 81. Marathon: 2:51:02, age 68, 2:54:48, age 73, 3:15:54, age 80, 3:56:33, age 85. 

Rest in peace, champ.

IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS-November 27, 2015

In this world of overpaid, egotistical athletes, playing their professional sports, shamelessly hawking any product to make a buck, then bragging about their accomplishments, yesterday, in Berwick, Pennsylvania, at the 106th running of the Run for the Diamonds, I had the honor for being in the presence of greatness.

It was my privilege to meet, and speak with 83-year old Ed Whitlock,

In my estimation, Ed Whitlock is the greatest living athlete on the planet.

So, in an effort to be completely accurate, I'll list Ed's accomplishments, as listed on his Wikipedia page.

" In his 60s after retiring he started to concentrate on road racing and latterly the objective of becoming the first man over 70 to run a marathon in less than three hours. After an initial attempt at age 70, injury prevented another attempt until age 72 when in 2003 he completed the marathon 2:59:10. In the following year, he lowered the record to 2:54:49 and in 2005 ran 2:58:40 at age 74, to date (2013) the oldest man to run under three hours for a marathon.
In 2006 he set the world record for the 75 to 79 age group with a time of 3:08:35 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon,^[2] and in the Rotterdam Marathon on April 15, 2007, Whitlock lowered that mark to 3:04:54 on a day when the marathon was stopped after three and a half hours because of high temperature.
On September 26, 2010, Whitlock ran the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in 1:34:23.4.^[3]
After turning 80, Whitlock improved the marathon world record for his age category by almost 15 minutes to 3:25:43 at the 2011 Rotterdam Marathon on April 10, 2011.^[4] He then further improved on his age category world record at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16, 2011, lowering the record to 3:15:54.^[5]
At age 81, on Sunday, September 16, 2012, wearing bib number 1, Whitlock broke the Canadian and unofficial world half-marathon record at his hometown inaugural race, the Milton Half-Marathon, running 1:38:59.^[6] In 2013, he lowered the record to 1:38:11 on the same course.
Whitlock also competes on the track, where as of 2012 he holds 15 world age group records ranging in distance from 1500 metres to 10,000 m and age groups 65+, 70+, 75+ and 80+, as well as the three age group marathon records 70+, 75+ and 80+.^[7]"


That's right folks, a 3:15 marathon--at age 80!

I have never met a more gracious, humble man. Ed Whitlock is a great athlete and competitor, but he is an even greater individual, He told me he can't wait to turn 85 so he can assault more age-group records.  Even more than the delicious turkey, my meeting Ed Whitlock was the highlight of my Thanksgiving Day.

I just hope some of his talent, dedication, and determination rubs off!

"THE GREATEST" DOES IT AGAIN

A few months ago I called Ed Whitlock "The world's greatest athlete."

Ed keeps proving me right.

Yes, he's done it again.

Last Saturday, the 85-year old Canadian demolished another age group world record.

At the Ontario masters outdoor championships in Toronto, Whitlock ran a 5K in 24:03.99, breaking the previous mark by almost 50 seconds.

Whitlock owns just about every world age group in the 85-89 age division up to the half marathon.

Stay tuned, as I'm sure we'll be reporting another Ed Whitlock age group record again real soon.

Way to go Ed!

You are an inspiration to every runner.

HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!

Now, this is getting a bit redundant.

Last Friday evening, he did it again!

85-year old Canadian, Ed Whitlock, arguably the world's greatest athlete, did what he does best: set a world record.

At the Cambridge Classic Mile, held annually in Cambridge, Ontario, Whitlock obliterated the previous mile record for men aged 85 or over, by turning in a time of 7:18. The previous record was 8:04.07 held by Germany’s Josef Galia, set in 1985.

A bit ho-hum for Whitlock.

Did I mention that, back on April 24, at the Waterloo Half Marathon, Whitlock ran a time of 1:50:47, breaking the previous half marathon age group record by nine minutes?

Ed Whitlock is the first person over 70 to have broken three hours in the marathon when he ran 2:59:10 in 2003. Since turning 70, he has broken the three-hour barrier multiple times including a 2:54:48, at age 73. He holds age group records from the 1,500 meters to the marathon.

Ed Whitlock is remarkable.

What's more, having had the privilege of meeting him at Berwick's Run for the Diamonds last November, he is a very humble, gracious man. It was an honor be in his company.

Soon after meeting him at Berwick, I wrote a blog about it. The next day I received an email from Ed, thanking me for the kind words.

Congratulations to Ed Whitlock, and here's hoping he continues to rewrite the record books for many, many years to come.

BENEFITS TO LAST A LIFETIME

After 40 years, I still get it.

At a social event, the grocery store, or from a stranger on the street.

"Are you still running?"

My reply?

Something like, "If I'm still vertical, I'm running."

"You runners are crazy," is often the response.

Well...the latest statistics, as reported last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in two articles published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association, indicate that over forty percent of American women are obese, as compared to thirty five percent of American men.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that more Americans are running and entering races, at distances from 5K to the marathon, than ever.

If you run, contrary to what the naysayers claim, you will not, "Drop over," "Ruin your knees," or, during the winter months, "Freeze your lungs."

What you will do, however, is control your weight, lower your blood sugar, increase your blood flow, and strengthen your heart.

Running increases one's self-esteem, and it actually fortifies joints and ligaments, Running significantly decreases the chances of dying from cardiovascular disease, simply because when you run, you decrease your resting heart rate, so your heart doesn't have to work as hard.

Research has shown that running can raise your level of good cholesterol and increase lung capacity.

Diabetes, blood pressure, and osteoporosis can all be controlled by developing a running regimen. Running reduces the risk of having a stroke, by creating arteries that can become superhighways, and for women, running reduces the risk of breast cancer.

There are few positive ways of relieving stress that are better than running.

A bad day at work, family stress, or grief can all be relieved by going for a run. On the days of the birth of my children, on the day my father died, and on September 11, 2001, I dealt with happiness, sadness, and anger by lacing up my running shoes and taking to the streets.

When you run, you sleep better, and you eat healthier. Sometimes you need a supplement to enhance your protein needs. Checkout www.sprintbar.com.

Running is truly "The people's sport." It is inexpensive. Purchase a good pair of running shoes and you're ready to go. No matter how fast or slow you may be, you may enter a race in which you line up next to an Olympian. And, there is no retirement age. Canada's Ed Whitlock just set the world record for the mile run. He turned in a time of 7:18. Ed Whitlock is 85-years young!

Do not be intimidated. Running is for everybody. Start out by walking, then ease into a run. You don't have to "Look like a runner." If you have the motivation to begin a running program, you ARE a runner.

Running is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other. Once you begin to run, the benefits will last a lifetime.

HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!

The world's greatest athlete has done it again.


On Sunday, at the Waterloo, Ontario Half Marathon, Canadian phenom, 85-year old Ed Whitlock, destroyed another world record. Whitlock crushed the 13.1 mile course in 1:50:47, that's an 8:27 per mile pace, destroying the previous age group record for 85-year olds by 9:17


Currently, and this number is certain to rise, as Ed Whitlock relishes the fact that he's a year older with another age group to dominate, he holds more than 80 age group world records at distances from 1500 meters to the marathon.


Last Thanksgiving Day, at Berwick's Run for the Diamonds, I had the honor of meeting Ed Whitlock. The man ranks as one of the most gracious individuals I have ever met. We discussed training, injuries, and our love of running.


In November I wrote a blog about my thrill of meeting this living legend.


The next day I received an email from Mr. Whitlock thanking me for writing about him.


The way I see it, Ed Whitlock has many more records to break and several more age groups to dominate.

IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS

In this world of overpaid, egotistical athletes, playing their professional sports, shamelessly hawking any product to make a buck, then bragging about their accomplishments, yesterday, in Berwick, Pennsylvania, at the 106th running of the Run for the Diamonds, I had the honor for being in the presence of greatness.

It was my privilege to meet, and speak with 83-year old Ed Whitlock,

In my estimation, Ed Whitlock is the greatest living athlete on the planet.

So, in an effort to be completely accurate, I'll list Ed's accomplishments, as listed on his Wikipedia page.

" In his 60s after retiring he started to concentrate on road racing and latterly the objective of becoming the first man over 70 to run a marathon in less than three hours. After an initial attempt at age 70, injury prevented another attempt until age 72 when in 2003 he completed the marathon 2:59:10. In the following year, he lowered the record to 2:54:49 and in 2005 ran 2:58:40 at age 74, to date (2013) the oldest man to run under three hours for a marathon.
In 2006 he set the world record for the 75 to 79 age group with a time of 3:08:35 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon,^[2] and in the Rotterdam Marathon on April 15, 2007, Whitlock lowered that mark to 3:04:54 on a day when the marathon was stopped after three and a half hours because of high temperature.
On September 26, 2010, Whitlock ran the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon in 1:34:23.4.^[3]
After turning 80, Whitlock improved the marathon world record for his age category by almost 15 minutes to 3:25:43 at the 2011 Rotterdam Marathon on April 10, 2011.^[4] He then further improved on his age category world record at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on October 16, 2011, lowering the record to 3:15:54.^[5]
At age 81, on Sunday, September 16, 2012, wearing bib number 1, Whitlock broke the Canadian and unofficial world half-marathon record at his hometown inaugural race, the Milton Half-Marathon, running 1:38:59.^[6] In 2013, he lowered the record to 1:38:11 on the same course.
Whitlock also competes on the track, where as of 2012 he holds 15 world age group records ranging in distance from 1500 metres to 10,000 m and age groups 65+, 70+, 75+ and 80+, as well as the three age group marathon records 70+, 75+ and 80+.^[7]"


That's right folks, a 3:15 marathon--at age 80!

I have never met a more gracious, humble man. Ed Whitlock is a great athlete and competitor, but he is an even greater individual, He told me he can't wait to turn 85 so he can assault more age-group records.  Even more than the delicious turkey, my meeting Ed Whitlock was the highlight of my Thanksgiving Day.

I just hope some of his talent, dedication, and determination rubs off!