I continue to spelunk among the offerings at Neal’s Running Store https://www.ebay.com/str/runningmagazinesbooksmemorabilia and come across this.
Legible enough I do not have to transcribe. From “The Bible of The Sport,” Track & Field News. January 1990.
The funny tragic-comedy-part, congratulating myself on this "new" piece - which I like - finishing the final edit and realize I had forgotten I had remembered this already and found it before. Years ago.
In my defense, eight.
Well, hell, it is back. I'm not too proud.
With fresh commentary from Mr. Brantly himself.
We have stayed in touch.
Sent Keith this "unearthed treasure" and asked for his comments about the article and his 1989 campaign.
Keith Brantly Reflects August 2026
First of all, your closing line is classic.
”The answer is down the road for Keith Brantly. But for now, well, he thinks he’s on the right track.”
I cringe when I read some of the things I said back then, even with your gracious narration. To say I had a high-opinion of my running talent would be a cataclysmic understatement. Scattered thoughts and lack of goals, peppered with visions of grandiosity. It took me a long time to get over not making the 1988 Olympic team…and I took it out on 1989.
I think of all the years I competed, 1989 was the year that helped reinforce, with hard training and focus, a real sense of possibility. Wins at Gasparilla, Red Lobster, got the ball rolling, but my race at America’s Ekiden in April, was probably my best performance. I did have one setback that year…stress fracture of my pubic bone. That’s why I was undertrained going into Honolulu.
And 1989 was so much fun connecting and training with some great athletes; Rob DeCastella and John Treacy stayed at my place in Gainesville that spring. And living and training in Gainesville was like a runners’ heaven…even in the summer.
I think we’ve all had had one or two breakthrough years that reinvigorate our focus. It’s what you choose to focus on and how you drive success….and 1989 was one of my best years.
America’s Ekiden, also known as the Asics Cup America’s Ekiden or the New York Ekiden, was an international men’s ekiden (marathon relay race) held in New York City in 1988 and 1989. Said to be the first Ekiden ever held outside of Japan, the event consisted of five-person teams from all 50 U.S. states plus a nation-wide U.S. team against seven other countries.
1989’s Ekiden went like this https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-ireland-reigns-over-us-in-s/158238441