Ron Clarke's death this week left a deep hole in our sport and in my heart.
While I've said Gerry Lindgren was my first hero as a runner, it was Clarke who dominated 60's distance running, and in fact, revolutionized it.
The numbers speak for themselves.
He broke 21 WR's, with 3 of those being INdoor WR's.
But that wasn't the legacy I speak of, even though this blog is all about Records--and of course especially about World Records!
No, Ron Clarke's greatest contribution to our sport was his endurance--and I don't mean about the distances he ran.
Here's the number of races he ran in his greatest years, from 1964 to his retirement on August 5th, 1970.
1964--Ran in 44 races.
1965--Ran in 55 races.
1966--Ran in 58 races.
1967--Ran in 42 races.
1968--Ran in 52 races.
1969--Ran in 38 races.
1970--Ran in 29 races (But retired after August 5th race!)
Here's his OUTdoor WR's.
December 18th, 1963--27:17.8 (6 Miles) and 28:15.8 (10000)
December 3rd, 1964---13:07.6 (3 Miles)
January 6th, 1965------13:34.8 (5000)
February 1, 1965------13:33.6 (5000)
March 3rd, 1965------47:12.8 (10 Miles--on a track!)
June 4th, 1965--------13:00.4 (3 Miles) and 13:25.8 (5000)
June 16th, 1965-------28:14.0 (10000)
July 10th, 1965--------12:52.4 (3 Miles--first to break 13 minute barrier--Gerry Lindgren 2nd in 13:04)
July 14th, 1965--------26:47.0 (6 Miles--broke Lindgren & Billy Mills record of 27:11.6) and 27:39.4 (first to go under 28:00)
October 27, 1965-----59:22.8 (20000--on a track! first 10K in 29:03.0!) and 12 Miles 1006 Yards (Hour Run)
July 5th, 1966---------12:50.4 (3 Miles) and 13:16.6 (5000)--Kip Keino had broken Clarke's 13:25.8 WR with his 13:24.2. Clarke then SHATTERED Keino's WR!)
June 27th, 1967-------8:19.8 (2 Miles)
August 24th, 1968----8:19.6 (2 Miles)
His 3 INdoor WR's.
February 22nd, 1964--13:18.4 (3 Miles)
February 25th, 1966---8:28.8 (2 Miles)
January 24th, 1969----13:12.6 (3 Miles)--His final WR!
He raced at distances ranging from 800 meters to the Marathon.
He won a vast majority of his races.
His times, when he wasn't breaking WR's, or Australia's National Records, or just setting Personal Records (short of those WR's!), were invariably fast.
In the great book called "Ron Clarke Talks Track" (TAFNEWS Press, 1972, by Jon Hendershott--110 pgs), which is essentially a VERY long and entertaining and informative interview with Clarke, he's asked "Why do you think you were so popular with track fans?".
Here's the key part of his reply.
".....I always tried. They always knew it would be a spectacular race if I was in it.....If I was beaten, it would be a fast time, or at least a very hard race with surging. There were few races......where there was a lot of fiddling around....with a last lap stand. I think (fans) would rather see a record....than someone demonstrating his superiority by sprinting away in the last lap.---which is easy to do."
Hmmm.
Do you think Clarke could have been foreseeing the destructive forces toward his legacy in the guises of such future runners as Ed Cheserek and Mo Farah?
I think so.
Ron Clarke wasn't really unique in his day.
Distance runners raced often, and often raced fast.
And these were "amateurs", so probably held "day jobs" to support their lifestyle as globe-trotting runners.
Clarke raced everywhere--Europe, Asia, the United States, and of course, Australia.
I saw him race 3 times--his 13:00.4/13:25.8 WR's, and a 2 day double in July 1966--13:28 & 28:13 for 5K and 10K.
I strongly recommend you buy (and read) his 3 books--The Lonely Breed, The Unforgiving Minute, and Ron Clarke Talks Track.
(I gathered all the facts about his career above from the latter book's Appendix, which lists EVERY race he ran, from 1953 (He was 16 then!) through 1970, with all the details of each race (pace, opponents, place, records broken, etc) provided!!)
Rest In Peace, Ron Clarke.
Instead of doing a separate "extra" post, I'd like to comment a bit on the Diamond League set-up, as well as what other meets do....or don't....provide.
Garry Hill of Track and Field News has written a few editorials in his magazine about the scheduling of DL's.
But I believe the problems go beyond their dates on the calendar.
The DL's (which replaced the Grand Prix system) are seen by athletes (and fans) as sort of a "play-off" scheme in which athletes compete for points, the winner getting a fat check and bragging rights, as well as a free pass into the next World Championship meet.
Proponents of DL's will of course say they're a lot more than that.
But again, my pet peeve with DL's isn't about their stated reason for being.
It's with what that system causes to happen--in a sort of ripple effect.
There's 14 meets each year.
Seven of them have certain events, each the same in all 7 meets.
The other 7 have other events, also the same in those meets.
But what happens to events NOT on the DL program?
I speak mainly of the 10000 meters and the Hammer Throw---although there's others.
The Bislett Games--Oslo's DL--used to be the site of a VERY fast 10K.
This was before their DL designation--back when it was an Invitational, such as the ones in Zurich (Weltklasse) and Berlin (ISTAF) and Brussels (Van Damme).
It was in the latter meet where Ken Bekele set his WR of 26:17.53 ten years ago.
Today?
The best 10K is on the "non-DL" first night of the Prefontaine Classic, or Eugene DL.
There are also good 10K's at the Payton Jordan meet.
As for those HT'ers, there is now a "World Hammer Challenge", which is basically its own "DL" series.
If people are wondering the reasons why Bekele's 10K WR has stood so long (as has his 5K), one can point to the facts I spoke of--DL's not having any 10K's on their official schedule---and except at Pre, not at all!!
But the other reason---and I return to the legacy Ron Clarke left us---is that even when a 10000 race IS scheduled, the runners normally race to win, to medal, or to qualify for a Championship meet.
Those races invariably turn into what Clarke said he never did---"fiddling around....with a last lap stand".
Mr Cheserek and Mr Farah---among MANY others!---should look back to Ron Clarke for guidance and inspiration.
He did it.
Why can't they?
Marco
ReplyDeleteI still own a few old (OLD!!) issues of T&FN, including the May 1966 issue.
Was looking through it today to see if there were any stories about Ron Clarke, so decided to see if there was anything about YOU.
There is!
In the US Report (Top 10 yearly listing), you're 5th...behind Seagren, Kirk, Pennel, and Wilson.
Your mark there is 16-9.
You're also listed in the report and/or results of the West Coast and Coliseum Relays coverage.
PROUD to have you as one of my readers!!
(Wish I hadn't sold all my pre-2000 issues of T&FN a few years ago!
Needed money then, and sold all of my issues from 1957 through 1999 for $800!! But kept a couple of issues---including the May '66 issue--I had two copies of.
Hi aaronk,
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing this out to me -- I hadn't seen it before. I read the Ron Clarke post before you posted this comment. I also remember Ron Clarke very well and saw him run. Your post is a great tribute.
I had a huge collection of old T&FN's too. I had them stored at my parents' house and on one of their moves my mother (in an act for which she may someday be forgiven) threw them all out -- along with a lot of other valuable old magazines.
A few years ago fellow vaulter Dick Railsback sent me copies of a few of the old T&FN's from the sixties which included stuff about me. My picture is in the April, 1966, issue. I do still have in my archive some rare old documents including letters from famous coaches of that era, and staff of T&FN, as well as autographs I collected in the fifties of many of the top track and field athletes in the world.
Was great seeing your name in that '66 issue.
ReplyDeleteAt least THREE times!
16-9 back then was VERY good.
I know you don't go to the T&FN MB too much, but there's a thread on there (I started it!!) about a 16-6 jump Demi Payne had in practice recently.
Someone provided videos of them.
She used a thing called "tapping" (her dad pushing on her back after she plants the pole, giving her an extra boost!).
That's opened up a big discussion on "tapping".
You might be interested, being a former vaulter!
I saw the video of the 16-6 "tapping" vault. Because of the boost her dad gave her, it's hard to quantify what that vault is really worth. Still, it's a great looking vault and Demi is a terrific vaulter. If the wind and weather are good, she's got a shot at 16' at USATF this week. But I suspect that her goal will primarily be to qualify for the world team. But I think she has good chance of winning the meet -- over Suhr and Morris (though they are great vaulters too).
ReplyDeleteJenn has the most experience at this level, but she usually only vaults high in meets where she has little or no competition. Her record against serious competition is not so good and none of her highest vaults (4.80 and up) have come in meets where she had a close competitor.
My picks for USATF women's vault:
1. Demi Payne
2. Sandi Morris
3. Jenn Suhr