Author Archives: Jon Waldron

Unknown's avatar

About Jon Waldron

Running and Racing have been important parts of my life for as long as I can remember. I ran Track and Cross Country at Amherst HS, back in the day, and am proud to have been training and competing with the Cambridge Sports Union (CSU) for more than thirty years. If my bones hold out, I hope to continue for another thirty. Sixteen years ago, I began coaching, first as an Asst. Coach at Newton North HS in Newton, MA, and for the past ten years, as Head Track and Cross Country Coach at Concord Academy in Concord, Massachusetts. I've been writing about running for almost as long as I've been running, dating back to high school, when I would write meet summaries for the Amherst Record for about $0.33 per column inch. I've been blogging about running since 2005, and began blogging at "the runner eclectic" in 2014. Until recently I also had a day job, working full-time as a Technical Product Manager for Nuance Communications, based in Burlington, MA. But I am now on what might turn out to be a permanent sabbatical. Thank you for reading my blog, and please consider leaving a comment.

Like Life, the 200m is Not Fair

Although my memory for such things isn’t terribly reliable, I am pretty sure that the old cinder track at my high school included an extension on both ends of the home straight that made it possible to run the 220 … Continue reading

Posted in Records & Statistics | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Remembering Ron Clarke

“There was Paavo Nurmi, the greatest of the generation of Flying Finns, Emil Zatopek, who shattered notions about training and racing hard, Abebe Bikila and Kip Keino, the vanguard of the east African revolution. And there was Clarke. Clarke showed … Continue reading

Posted in In Memoriam | 1 Comment

On the Long Pond Fire Road

It’s mid-morning, and the early fog has burned off, giving way to bright sunshine and cool ocean breezes. I’ve heard rumors that heat and humidity are tormenting Boston, but that’s of little concern to me here in Maine where it’s … Continue reading

Posted in Training | Tagged | 1 Comment

On Vacation

I’ll be on vacation in Maine, and so the blog will also be on vacation until Monday, June 15th. In case you’re interested, here’s where I’ll be:

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Race Report: Senior Moments at the Adrian Martinez Classic

As kids, my friends and I never tired of imagining ourselves as major league ballplayers, throwing 95-mph fastballs, making impossible catches against center field fences, turning exquisite double plays. There was no doubt in our minds that we had major … Continue reading

Posted in Race Reports | Tagged , | 3 Comments

The Family Table

The irony was lost on absolutely no one that on National Running Day, ProPublica and the BBC went public with allegations and evidence that the Nike Oregon Project and Coach Alberto Salazar have been bending or breaking anti-doping regulations for … Continue reading

Posted in PEDs and Drug Cheating, Pro Runners | Tagged , | 4 Comments

From the Archives: High Maintenance

[All I can say is that when I wrote this seven years ago, I had NO IDEA what “high maintenance” really was. Looking back now, I marvel at how easy everything seemed to be when I was “only” fifty. Originally … Continue reading

Posted in Attempts at Humor, Injuries & Health | 1 Comment

The Master Tactician

Tactics – noun plural but singular or plural in construction tac·tics \’tak-tiks\. a :  the science and art of disposing and maneuvering forces in combat b :  the art or skill of employing available means to accomplish an end

Posted in Pro Runners | Tagged , | Leave a comment

America’s Distance Prodigy

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

Posted in Pro Runners | Leave a comment

Better Angels

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment