“When I was a schoolgirl, the PE teacher used to make us run laps if we did something wrong. And yes, I did my fair share of running laps!” – Lisa Weidenbach Rainsberger
Another article I forgot about and did not discover eight years ago right next to the Keith Brantly piece.
https://www.jackdogwelch.com/?p=66020 And how could that have happened?
Lisa Weidenbach Rainsberger Reflects August 2026
I have to chuckle about finding articles that you don’t remember writing 37 years ago. There are times I forget what I had for breakfast.
Remembering 1989 brings back so many memories. Two races that stand out the most in my memory bank are the Cascade Run Off and the Chicago Marathon. Cascade was a premier race starting downtown Portland, OR that came with substantial prize money and loaded fields. That aside, it was the grueling first 5k up Terwilliger hill and the lashing rain that made my uniform resemble a wet t-shirt contest that I remember the most.
The 1989 Chicago Marathon had a stacked field. Most of the 1988 Olympic marathoners were there to race a PR fast course and cash in. Coming in as the previous champion, I was given race number, “W1” making me feel like I had a bullseye on my back. I remember the gun going off and the pace immediately heated up along with the air temperature. It was hot! I found myself mentally calculating the crazy fast pace and at 5 miles decided to calm things down and to just run the race I was prepared for. At 10 miles my coach, Fred Moore shared with me I was a minute behind the leaders but to not panic. Patience was not my strong suit. But I trusted him and I eventually started reeling in other women and by mile 16 I took the lead.
1989 was also the first time Gatorade was offered on the course and I remember chugging it at every aid station. I mentioned at the press conference how the Gatorade really helped me and a week later a semi-truck pulled up in my driveway in Seattle and dropped off a huge pallet of Gatorade products. Enough to last me years!
In 1992, FOR THE THIRD (3rd) CONSECUTIVE TIME IN A ROW, Lisa Weidenbach finished fourth in the marathon at the U.S. Olympic Trials. And how long must that linger, I wonder.