V. 1 #21 Memorial Day Race 40 - What Was a 40 Year Old Race Like?

Memorial Day Race 

1977-Present

At the end of this month, on May 30, the Runners’ Club of Greater Cincinnati will once again host its annual 5k Memorial Day Race. It is called Memorial Day Race 40 and  marks 40 straight years that the running club, originally known as the Clifton Track Club, is organizing this event. Aside from the Thanksgiving Day Race, it is the area’s oldest road race. You may wonder what those early years, during the last century, were like?

The Clifton Track Club was formed in 1976 and the 1977 Memorial Day Race was the club’s first sponsored running event. Few local road races existed at that time. These were the early days of the first running boom and the manuscript on how to best manage events with ever-burgeoning crowds was still being developed. 

Mike Boylan, founder of the CTC and its first race director, and Bob MacVeigh created a course that started on the road near the Temple of Love in Mt. Storm Park in Clifton. A sharp right turn quickly appeared and the crowd plummeted down Lafayette Avenue.  After the quads were shredded from the descent, a tight left turn was negotiated onto McAlpin Avenue. A long climb, testing calves and hamstrings, now awaited the runners.  Subsequent to a tour through Clifton the pack ended up on the field that was in front of the then existing Sacred Heart Academy.  Today, folks would balk at such a course, but back then anything was welcome.

Temple of Love in Mt. Storm Park

Finish on field in front of Sacred Heart Academy

WEBN, which was the cutting-edge rock 'n' roll radio station at the time, was the major sponsor. The first winners were Duane Gaston (15:00) and Lisa Ann Kirshner (20:35).

Back then women did not participate in races to the extent that they currently do.  Of the first year’s 401 finishers, only 48 were female, 12% of the field.

An all-volunteer corps, composed of Clifton Track Club members, manned every element of the event. Since a lot of the folks in the club also wished to run a race, a separate competition, limited to the CTC, was held over the same course the evening before. 51 individuals ran in that first club race. Dave Neumann recalls, "It was Nuts!  We would be blasting through the streets of Clifton with no police presence, few course markers, at 5-6 minute per mile pace, crossing streets against traffic.  People from the neighborhood were used to seeing 'joggers' out, but not a small band of banshees like the club runners."

On Sunday tents and other equipment were assembled. Then, once the CTC race was concluded, a club picnic was held.


Registration Area

Front L-R  Vic Roth, Mark Jones, Frank Murphy

Back  L-R  Ray Tuttle, Karen Cosgrove, Poppy Evans, Jim Boland

WEBN continued as a sponsor, along with the Clifton Track Club and now New Balance Shoes, for the second year. Some of the other contributing sponsors were Keller’s IGA Market, Sporting Foot & Things/Ben’s, Brendamour's and Koch's Athletic Goods. 

Karen Doppes Cosgrove won the first of her multiple Memorial Day victories that second year and Jeff Werchowski led all male finishers.

Over 900 people raced. Continued promotion by WEBN and word of mouth lifted the number to 1104 official finishers in the third year. 

In 1980, the 4^th annual event, a still existing record field of 1429 participated. Karen won for the third straight year.  Her 17:42 placed her ahead of a recent Ursuline Academy graduate named Julie Isphording, who secured second with a 17:51. 

Karen Cosgrove (#15) with Julie to her left

During that era the major running emphasis was on racing and performance. Memorial Day Race records were kept and publicized for each age group. These were updated each year.  In 1980, 149 men ran faster than six-minutes per mile and 94 women dipped under the eight-minute per mile pace. Over 17% of the contestants achieved these high standards over a still challenging course (the first year route was altered).

More than 150 Clifton Track Club members and friends helped with the race. Frank Wood, Jr., Denton Marr and Frog received special acknowledged for their support and promotion of the event. In the early days of WEBN Frank Bo Wood’s air-name for his “The Jelly Pudding Show” was Michael Xanadu.

From the peak of over 1400 the previous year, attendance for the 1981 race dipped to 755 entries and 697 finishers. This was primarily due to losing WEBN as a sponsor. ‘EBN shifted their efforts, collaborating with the CTC, to a new June running event called The Night Move. This numbers loss demonstrated the effect that a good sponsor, especially a media sponsor, had on attendance. 

We also begin to see a division of sorts in the emphasis that a road race chooses. The Night Move was intended for both the casual and competitive runners. For many, running the race was secondary to the party that followed. The continued focus of the Memorial Day Race was to provide a genuine age group event where you can see the competition in your group and continue to compete over a measured and consistent course each year. The feeling was that serious runners took pleasure in comparing his or her effort against him or herself each year on a consistent challenging course.

Age group course records as of 1986

Mike Boylan, Harold Schuck, Phyllis Dwyer, Frank Murphy, Bobbi Montgomery, Stacy Osborne, Linda Hentzen and David Nelson were some of the early race directors during those years.  Race participation numbers continued to dwindle. The 1983 version had 700 finishers and 426 were there in 1984. The 80s witnessed a number of new races forming.  The Memorial Day Race was no longer a novelty. With more options and lacking a major media sponsor like WEBN, registration dropped.

With the idea of rejuvenating interest, the 1985 event instituted a theme - New Wave Running. This was one of the first times that participants attired themselves according to a theme, not just in the traditional racing shorts and singlets.

Club members properly dressed

Person on left can’t believe a new wave runner with music blaring from a radio is passing her

On Sunday, during the club race, Jim Boland's 16:36 edged Allen Laub's 16:38 for first place. On Monday, Steve Taylor prevailed.

Steve Taylor on Lafayette nearing the finish

The theme idea might have had some effect, since the field rose almost 30%. Included among the 550 finishers was 90-year-old Robert Drewery.

Robert Drewery with young friend

The 10^th and 11^th annual editions, 1986 and 1987, were theme events.  This time it was “Classical Running”.  Classical music and tuxedos were prevalent that day.

Race Director Harold Schuck (white shirt) with Ray Tuttle

In 1988 we see that the starters were positioned according to their anticipated speed:

Five-minute milers in front

Six minute second

Seven minutes in about the middle

Eight minute plus joggers at the rear

Back then you were considered a jogger if you ran at an 8:00 pace or slower.

Race walking results first appeared in 1989.

After 19 years, for a variety of reasons, one being interference with the Clifton Memorial Day parade, the race left Clifton.  For a while it merged with the Taste of Cincinnati and took place in the Over The Rhine.  Lunken, NKU and Newport on the Levee were other locations as it shifted about.

As the century was concluding, two individuals, David Nelson and Jim Boland had completed every Memorial Day Race.  Nelson’s streak is currently intact.  Sheila Boland describes how her husband Jim’s streak ended in 2012. “He (we) fully intended to run that year, but my father, Don Cosgrove, died quite suddenly the day before the race. He had gone to bed on Saturday night and didn't wake up. My brother found him late Sunday night. I encouraged Jim to run the race, but he didn't think it would be appropriate.” 

David Nelson in CTC shirt

Jim Boland

Now, The Runners’ Club of Greater Cincinnati under the leadership of Todd Hofacre and Stacy Osborne is organizing Memorial Day Race 40 on Monday, May 30 at 9:00 a.m.  The venue is Otto Armleder Park, which is just north of Lunken Playfield.  It remains a 5k Run/Walk. 

This would be an excellent opportunity for past race participants and former club members to reconnect. For the General Public pre-registration is just $15.00.

For information and results go to www.cincinnatirunning.com

V. 1 #20 The Way It Was - How Were Distance Runners Viewed in the 1960s Prior to the Running Boom?

The Way It Was

Reflections on running and walking in the past century.

1.  How Were Distance Runners Viewed in the 1960s Prior to the Running Boom?    

Here are common medical reactions as recorded in a newspaper article 

When a nurse or doctor took a runner’s pulse and found it to be much lower than the general population, their first reaction was that something was wrong. Here is an account taken from a 1969 newspaper article.

One of our local marathoners is something of a medical oddity. He has been the subject of much head scratching by doctors. Early last year he volunteered to donate blood. When the nurse made a routine pulse check, she was alarmed to find that his pulse rate was only 40. He was told to see his doctor immediately. Needless to say, his offer of blood was refused. His doctor took him off his training schedules and ran a series of electrocardiograms. The tapes resembled those of a garter snake more than humans. They pull sheets over people with faster heart action than that. After a two-week stay in the hospital, his heart checked normal and he resumed training. Since then, his pulse again has dipped down to incredible lows upon occasion, but he seems to suffer no ill effects.

This is another article asking why runners run marathons

Although interest is mounting rapidly in distance running, it is not expected to replace bowling or golf. After all, it does take a rather unusual person to train for a thing like this. It Is as one spectator inquired, “Why does anyone want to run 26 miles anyway?” It certainly isn’t for profit. Recognition, outside of a small circle, is almost nonexistent. The training schedules make strongmen blanch just reading them. Many swear off the marathon several times in every race but they usually begin planning the next one a few hours later.

The answer must be that marathon racing shares the same attraction as mountain climbing. The only reward, besides the obvious one of being strikingly more fit than the general run of your neighbors, is the knowledge that you have the endurance and determination to do what’s so few men dare to attempt.

It takes a certain kind of moral standard to do what some call courageous and others–perhaps the majority–call merely crazy. These men have it, however, along with the physical stamina it takes to keep at it.

V. 1 #19 You Know You Have Been Running For Quite A While If …

V. 1  #19    You Know You Have Been Running For Quite A While If …

you can remember when Nike waffles were considered "advanced" technology.

you've ever tried Lydiard training or run 100-mile weeks.

you think heart rate monitors, camelbacks, and gels are useless.

you've ever gone on a run, and halfway through decide to add on an extra hour than what you planned, to "get in a little extra".

you did a two-a-day after racing.

you have not read Runners’ World since the 80's.

being called a "road whore" is a compliment to you.

you're not always holding out to peak "next season.

you remember what it was like to run on a track when it was asphalt or even cinders - only later on being able to run on a rubberized surface.

your PRs are at yards or miles distances, not meters.

you remember when Runners’ World was a runner’s magazine.

you remember what analgesic balm smells like.

you remember that Blue Ribbon Sports sold Onitsuka Tiger shoes out of station wagons and car trunks.

you respond to these threads.

you remember that only guy with no hair was Dick Buerkle.

you remember Wide World of Sports covering Track and Field.

you remember TV showing the entire mile and sometimes two-mile races.

you remember TV not replaying the start of a 100-meter race 43 times.

you remember Boston vs. Igor and Thomas vs. Brumel seemingly week after week.

you remember the Soviet distance runners dominating until Gerry beat them at their own tactics.

you remember helping the coach water down and dragging the track.

you remember Tokyo – Hayes, Mills, Schul, Bikila, Gaston, Oerter, and on.

you remember Clarke’s 10k.

that sports drink = H20.

you wondered who is next after Bruce Kidd and Bill Crothers.

track and field fans seemed to be Track AND Field fans – most of track and most of field.

this kind of stuff is interesting.

you remember Denis Fikes, Reggie McAfee, and Tommy Fulton, early 70’s black runners that kicked some rear.

you remember milers Tom Byers and Howell Michael.

you remember Lydiard shoes in 1973.

you remember pre-digital watches.

you remember Women’s T&F News (Vince Reel).

you remember Madeline Manning Mims.

you remember Kip Keino winning the Olympic Steeplechase four years after his Mexico City 1500-meter victory.

you remember cotton, cotton everywhere.

you remember nylon creeping into shorts and shoes in the late 60’s.

you remember Runners’ World Fun Runs.

you remember the Irish lads of East Tennessee State University.

you remember when women didn’t run, much less race.

you remember knowing everybody at the starting line, even at the ‘big’ races.

you remember canvas running shoes, which were like spiked shoes with the spikes removed and no arch supports.

you remember not being worried about pronation, much less knowing what it was.

you remember when ‘Gookinaid’ was the preferred sports drink.

you remember stiff nylon shorts without liners.

you remember having to explain why you ran to other people.

you remember when Runners’ World had a black and white cover and newspaper quality pages.

you remember when everyone carried a stopwatch.

you remember sewing reflective tape on your warm-ups.

you remember patches at races, which people put on their warm-ups.

you remember when there were very few runners over age 40.

this thread is like déjà vu all over again. Again.

Do you have any additions to this list?