Netters:
Just thought this might counter the bad taste left by the latest
version of Rosie Ruiz and also give another angle on what makes a good
marathon runner.
There was once in NJ a runner named Cliff Whitehead. In HS--and he
went to one of the top CC schools in the nation, Christian brothers
Academy---he was last in every race and a decided last. It wasn't much
better in college.
Most runners would have thankfully retired at this point, but Coiff
was made of sterner stuff. Not built at all for a marathon runner, by modern
standards, he neverheless turned to that event and, by sheer persistance,
turned himself into a fine runner of what could be called the "second rank."
never challenging for national honors, but winning and placing regularly in
many racesa and eventually getting his time down to the 2:20 level. It
reallty seemed at times that he was running at full speed for the entire 26
miles plus.
Certainly, if Cliff could accomplishg this with what obviously were
meager natural talents, runners more gifted can accomplish more than we are
seeing on the roads today,.
Ed Grant
