Monthly Archives: May 2015

America’s Distance Prodigy

Posted on May 29, 2015 by Jon Waldron

It’s been forty years to the day since Steve Prefontaine, America’s most charismatic distance runner, died in a car crash along Skyline Boulevard in Eugene, Oregon. There have been and will be countless remembrances of Pre, including many thoughtful works … Continue reading →

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Better Angels

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Every culture, it seems, has a variation of the old proverb “eat alone, die alone.” I assume the saying means that sharing the pleasure and intimacy of meals is one of the more important ways that we establish friendships and … Continue reading →

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It’s Mighty (Multi) Quiet Out There…

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Jon Waldron

A few weeks ago, the Baltimore Orioles played a home game at Camden Yards. The game was remarkable not for the result (the Orioles jumped out to an early lead against the Chicago White Sox and ended up winning 8-2) … Continue reading →

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Faded Photograph: Field Day 1968

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Jon Waldron

[What can I say? The end of the school year makes me wax nostalgic.] It was field day for the two fourth-grade classes who occupied adjacent rooms on the first floor of the old brick school building in North Amherst … Continue reading →

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The Man Who Ran Fast

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Jon Waldron

After spending the weekend in the company of high school athletes, I’ve had to take a couple of days to catch up with news from the professional track world. In particular, I’ve been reading various takes on the news that … Continue reading →

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Until the Sprinklers Chased Us Away

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Spring Track 2015 began on the third day of March. On that day, the roads of Concord were dangerously narrowed by high banks of snow, and the athletic fields were buried beneath four feet of the stuff. At 3:30 that … Continue reading →

Posted in Coaching, High School Runners | 1 Comment

Peaks, Valleys, and Plateaus

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Jon Waldron

Image: http://www.56thparallel.com It’s not often that I feel sorry for athletes who are much younger and faster than me. Most of the time, I’m too busy envying them (for their seemingly effortless speed, their ability to train and train and … Continue reading →

Posted in High School Runners, Pro Runners, Training | 3 Comments

Promise, but No Promises

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Jon Waldron

(image: http://www.dyestat.com) “I was really nervous [the time] was going pop up, and it was going to be 4:00…  I mean, that’s fast, but you don’t get anything for it.” – Matthew Maton, after running 3:59.38 at the Oregon Twilight … Continue reading →

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From the Archives: for Martha

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Jon Waldron

(My mom was a runner without ever knowing it. I often wonder what would have happened if she had grown up at a time when girls were encouraged to run, not teased for being tomboys. I have no doubt that … Continue reading →

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The Integrity of the Stride

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Jon Waldron

in-teg’-ri-ty, noun: the quality of being honest and fair; the state of being complete or whole . “Marco polo describes a bridge, stone-by-stone. ‘But which is the stone that supports the bridge,’ Kublai Khan asks. ‘The bridge is not supported by … Continue reading →

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