Month: June 2017

I grew up in the Catskills and one of my childhood friends were the Hirsch brothers.  The name “Hirsch” may not ring bells instantly, but in the running community, it’s the Gold Standard.  Right up there with names like Frank Shorter (1st American to win Gold in Marathon), Bill Rogers, Deena Kastor (America’s most honored female Olympic Runner).

The Hirsch brothers, father, George Hirsch, is Chairman of the Board of the NY Road Runners, a founder of the NYC Marathon, and a past publisher of Runner’s World magazine, Men’s Health, etc.  He also ran a 4:04 marathon, AT AGE 75, not too shabby!

While I have not seen Mr. Hirsch or his kids in years, I hope he would be happy to know that a magazine he founded has helped teach people about a sport that has changed so many peoples lives, including mine.

Each week Runner’s World tells the story of someone who running changed.  This week, I was pleased to have the story be mine.

Short post today, it’s a Saturday, I slept in, now it’s off to the gym.  Taking the kids to WWE wrestling tonight . . . priorities!

I remember my 1st marathon 32 months ago saying “never again”.  So I still find it funny that I laced up my shoes to do marathon 25 this past weekend.

I was able to run with my wife’s and my college friend, Dr. Michele.  She is the complete opposite of her 6’3″ husband who won our shared age group last week at THE Classic 10k.  Dr. Michele is about 5’2″.  She took me though my first 20 mile run in October of 2014 and was at the start line with me at my first marathon, my 12th in 12 months, and two more – including my 25th.

She was my “security blanket” on my first one  (what’s better than running your first marathon with a real medical doctor by your side).   We stayed together for the first half of that before injury forced her to slow down.

Last year, I was able to coach her to her goal time for what was her fourth marathon.  This year we did her 5th (my 25th) together.  I was glad to be with her as temperatures stretched into the upper 80’s.  That meant I could check my pride and run an hour slower than my normal 4 hour to 415 time and just enjoy the day.

Marathon running has become a lot of fun for me.  When you are running for the pure joy though and don’t care about the time, it can sometimes be even nicer.

There are lots of 10k races but only ONE Classic 10k.  It’s in Middletown, NY. What makes it THE Classic?  Lots of reasons.

First, it follows the classic running route of Frank Shorter, America’s Gold Medal marathon winnner in 1972.  Mr. Shorter grew up in part in Middletown. The race races his traditional route in part where he would run as a child.

He won the race when it first started 37 years ago. Each year he comes back and runs it again. He did so this year – age 69 and all.

I was happy to get through it in 48 minutes and something second. That was second in my age group, behind my 6’3″ college friend Eddie.

THE Classic gets hundreds of runners each year. Come run it!

http://classic10k.com/