Archive For The “Running Free” Category
The last box of archives continues to surprise. The first Nike edition of Running magazine featured a cover story of the 1980 USA Track & Field Olympic Trials by Ken Kesey. Kesey had a bosom buddy, one Ken Babbs. Who submitted a story of his own for possible publication. Here is The Lost Report. BEAT…
If you know me at all, you know that’s true. Running saved my life. And my second wife was bipolar and threatened me with a knife. A big knife. Which seemed to match her crazy eyes. Threw her in the pool to cool her off. No cops were called. – JDW How Running Saved My…
As I write, some attorney tries to extort Nike – allegedly – for twenty million dollars plus and shoe company executives head to prison instead of March Madness. Found an article titled SPORTS SHOES OFFICIAL DOUBTS RIVAL’S TACTIC. Pacts With High School Athletes ‘Incomprehensible.” By Nick Bertram. The Oregonian. June 8, 1983. Apparently – I…
“I stayed positive through many untimely injuries, injustices, whatever. I stuck to being a good role model, trying to see what was of service to others, hoping my running, coaching and speaking would open up opportunities to impact local, national and international athletic organizations.” I can’t run. I walk as hard as I can and…
“If you don’t think you are good enough to win, why bother showing up?” For forty years, Herm Atkins has held the distinction of being the fastest native-born black American at the marathon distance. 2:11:52. But that’s not why he is an Original Gangster. We were at Bloomsday, visiting our friend OG Don Kardong. The…
When I started running, I was a twenty-five-year-old married veteran. There was one running magazine, which didn’t seem to come often enough. Black and white photographs. Remember I looked at a pic of Phil Camp on the move, six-one, one-fiddy-five, looking like a big-footed mustachioed crane who got startled from behind and I thought, he’s…
My review of The Running Mind (World Publications) by Jim Lilliefors appeared in the May 12, 1979 edition of On The Run. – JDW A coach – football, of course – once told his team that “the game is fifty (50) percent physical and sixty (60) percent mental.” It is yet to be determined if…
Many years ago, I was in a bit of trouble, so I made a rare call to the Anonymous OGOR and asked if I could stay for a few weeks. Maybe twelve. Hadn’t heard from me in years. Conversation went something like this. “It’s me. Jack. The Running magazine guy.” “Oh, Jack. Hi.” Told him I’d stay out of his way….
“He wrote with a flare that brought the sport and the subject alive and he wrote with passion so that his pieces were not always journalism, but sometimes strayed into an understandable adoration for his subject(s).” Review by Rich Benyo Marathon & Beyond 2014 It is unfortunate, but most newbie runners aren’t going to read…
“I was so worked up and excited about this new thing for running. I couldn’t sleep. I put on my race clothes and looked in the mirror, and thought deep thoughts about what I was going to do each and every mile. And how I would feel the last mile and and how I would…