Grete Waitz

[Ruth Wysocki]

So sad to hear the news this morning that Grete has passed away. What an amazing woman!

[herr]

Yes, I just saw this in the New York Times. RIP. What an inspirational runner (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/sports/othersports/20waitz.html?_r=1&hp)
(http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/sports/othersports/20waitz.html?_r=1&hp)

[Zat0pek]

I am deeply saddened by this news. I'm not usually moved a great deal by the passing of public figures whom I didn't know personally, but this one is different.

I would encourage younger runners, male and female, to spend a little time learning about Greta.

She was the epitome of grace, class, talent and will. She was a originally a track runner; at the time she moved to the marathon, the longest Olympic distance for women was only 3,000 meters. She was a very good 3000 runner (she set the world record shortly after the 3,000 became a recognized distance for women) but nothing like she was from 10,000 meters and up. Her talent was obvious from a very young age; she ran a 4:17 1500 at the age of 17, a performance worthy of Jordan Hasay.

Fred Lebow brought her to New York in '78. Not only was it her first marathon but at that time the longest distance she'd ever run in training was 13 miles. Fred thought she was "just" a track runner and would be a good rabbit. Not only did she win, she set the WR. She broke the marathon WR a total of four times, and won NY nine(!) times. She was "the first one in the pool" when it came to women finally achieving competitive equality with men. After he NY marathon win in '78, she became THE face of women's running. She was signed by Avon and became integral to the promotion of the Avon women's running series of races.

She was locked out of competing in Moscow in '80 due to Jimmy Carter-induced boycott. But she was the gold medalist in the inaugural World Championships in 1983 which was, I believe, the first women's marathon at any international championships. The next year was the first-ever women's Olympic marathon in LA in '84. I have to admit I was rooting for her, and she got the silver behind Benoit's jaw-dropping, seize-the-race-by-the-throat-at-two-miles-and-don't-look-back evisceration of the field. Greta was a genuine superstar in an era where road racing was huge business and its brightest stars were as well-known publicly as the best athletes in any other sport.

She burst on to the scene at a time when the New York marathon was broadcast live nationally every year by NBC. There's even a line from a Seinfeld episode about the NY Marathon. When he was talking about the NY Marathon with George and Elaine, in a reference to Greta's popularity and dominance at the time, Jerry says, "I don't get what the big deal is about the New York Marathon anyway. Every year it's the same thing: A woman from Norway, a guy from Kenya and 30,000 losers."

Patti's comments above echo everything I've ever heard about Greta from women who competed against her. She was, publicly at least, gracious, humble and extremely supportive of women of all ages and abilities who were beginning to take to the streets and become not just runners, but athletes.

Before my wife was pregnant with our first child, she told me, "If I'm havin' 'em, I'm namin' 'em." To throw me a bone, she said I could name the pets. About a year before our daughter was born, we got a female beagle.

I named her Greta.

May she rest eternally in God's embrace.

Here's a little about her:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GUOwU08ruY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grete_Waitz

Great video of Benoit's destruction of the first Olympic women's marathon which also shows Greta; I dare you to watch this and not be consumed by a desire to go run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dFgH_vDh6E

[Zat0pek]

So sad to hear the news this morning that Grete has passed away. What an amazing woman!

Ruth, I just learned that my nephew (junior in college on full academic ride; triple majoring in chemistry, grain science and and something else I can't remember) is going to be just up the highway from you this summer. He has a great summer internship with Con-Agra at their plant in Colton. He's heading out around May 18 and will be staying at an extended stay type hotel somewhere near there. He'll be there a couple of months, I believe.

If you remember, this is the same kid for whom I bought all the books for his 16th birthday a few years ago. I solicited everyone's opinion on what books to include in the LL on the old board.

[wineturtle]

Please comment on the open to all Elite board also
http://www.tracktalk.net/showthread.php?p=189665#post189665

[Equinox2100]

I also just read the piece in the NY times. When I started reading into running history, she was one of the first people I encountered. She will be missed, and will always be thought of as the first - the one who sparked the flame of womens marathoning.

[Ruth Wysocki]

Ruth, I just learned that my nephew (junior in college on full academic ride; triple majoring in chemistry, grain science and and something else I can't remember) is going to be just up the highway from you this summer. He has a great summer internship with Con-Agra at their plant in Colton. He's heading out around May 18 and will be staying at an extended stay type hotel somewhere near there. He'll be there a couple of months, I believe.

If you remember, this is the same kid for whom I bought all the books for his 16th birthday a few years ago. I solicited everyone's opinion on what books to include in the LL on the old board.

Congrats to the nephew! Michael is still looking for summer internships. Colton is not that far from us.

[wineturtle]

http://marathon.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/a-relationship-forged-through-running-family-and-life/

Some comments from a long time friend.

[Spider]

As I mentioned to Patti the other night, I met Grete in 2004. I was at my first Boston Expo, and I was just standing there when someone came along to set up a folding table which turned out to be for Grete to meet and greet for an hour. So I was, by accident, first in line. And as a crowd had not yet formed, I got Grete to myself for a couple minutes. I have Norwegian roots on both sides of my family, so this was something special. And like anyone my age, I had been watching Grete since '78.

I remember blurting out something like "you look fabulous". And she did. This was about a year before we heard about the cancer. She told me that if she looked good it was probably just because she kept running, and she encouraged me to keep at it.

I have and I will, but I remember walking away from her thinking I had to double my mileage and drop the donut and do more push-ups. Relative to her, I was clearly morbidly obese and unfit. Still am. Still working at it.

I doubt that Golf fans get to spend moments like this with Jack Nicklaus or basketball fans with Larry Bird. Grete was better than we deserve, really. I miss her.

[wayne b]

I doubt that Golf fans get to spend moments like this with Jack Nicklaus or basketball fans with Larry Bird. Grete was better than we deserve, really. I miss her.

I got to meet her a couple of times. She was just a gracious lady, and I have been surprised how much her passing bugs me. Matthew asked me on Wednesday if I'd heard. I told him that I had. He seemed really stunned by the news. She really was a wonderful ambassador for our sport.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iafvfq5s0w/TbNtdluBd4I/AAAAAAAAAS0/ElsR3Gn8BNU/s400/IMG_3300-1.JPG

This was last fall at NYCM Expo.

[78Champ]

John Saunders, ESPN: "When most people die of cancer we tend to say they lost the battle. With Grete Waitz, I prefer to say she reached the finish line."

JW

[patti]

Toni Reavis in Uncategorized (http://tonireavis.com/category/uncategorized/)

0 (http://tonireavis.com/2011/04/25/national-tribute-to-grete-waitz-planned/#respond)
http://tonireavis.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/bislettstadiumgrete.jpg?w=150&h=99 (http://tonireavis.com/2011/04/25/national-tribute-to-grete-waitz-planned/bislettstadiumgrete/) Now official, a Norwegian national tribute to Grete Waitz will be held at Bislett Stadium in Oslo on Wednesday May 11 at 5PM. Grete’s husband, Jack, has met with, among others, a representative from the Prime Minister’s office. The Tribute, will be open for everybody, and then there will be a reception, also at Bislett, afterwards.
Arguably, the greatest female distance runner in history with five world cross country titles, a World Championships Marathon gold medal (1983) and Olympic silver (1984) to go along with nine New York City, and two London Marathon titles, and four marathon world records, Grete Waitz died last Monday night in her sleep at her home in Oslo at age 57 after battling cancer for six years.

As a girl, Grete Anderson both trained and raced at Bislett Stadium winning numerous national championships as a junior and senior level competitor. Twice she set world records on the historic oval. First in June 1975 she ran 8:46.6 for 3000 meters. One year later she lowered the mark to 8:45.4. Her 1500 (4:00.55) and 3000 meter (8:31.75) times remain Norwegian national records. A bronze statue of Grete (pictured above) was erected in 1984 to commemorate what was a still-building legacy of greatness.
Share this:
Share (http://tonireavis.com/2011/04/25/national-tribute-to-grete-waitz-planned/#)

[Leo]

I got to meet her a couple of times. She was just a gracious lady, and I have been surprised how much her passing bugs me. Matthew asked me on Wednesday if I'd heard. I told him that I had. He seemed really stunned by the news. She really was a wonderful ambassador for our sport.

Wayne I couldn't agree more. Amby Burfoot introduced me to Grete at an Adidas running camp back in 1983. She was very gracious and patient as I took a few photographs of her. She couldn't have been nicer.

Leo

[wineturtle]

Welcome Abroad, Leo!!

For those of you that do not know Leo take a look at this
http://www.whalesandwolves.com/

and one subsection has a bunch of folks we all either know or know of:
http://www.whalesandwolves.com/running.html



Is your Litchfield Hills perfect attendance award still valid?

[Leo]

Welcome Abroad, Leo!!

For those of you that do not know Leo take a look at this
http://www.whalesandwolves.com/

and one subsection has a bunch of folks we all either know or know of:
http://www.whalesandwolves.com/running.html



Is your Litchfield Hills perfect attendance award still valid?

Tom first of all let me thank you for using your influence as Mayor of the Legends Lounge to get me in the door. I am not worthy. Thank you for plugging my website. And yes my Litchfield Hills roadrace streak is still going. I believe this is the 35th year. Connecticut Magazine called me last week for a short story they are doing on the race for their June issue. Speaking of Litchfield, Rod Dixon was in town today to promote his "Kid's Marathon" program at our local schools. Here are 2 photos. The first is of Rod and yours truely. The second is Brent "Hawk" Hawkins (an excellent runner for West Virginia a number of years ago) running with Rod.

Leo

http://www.wtv-zone.com/whales/images/running/rod_dixon_and_me.jpg




http://www.wtv-zone.com/whales/images/running/hawk_and_rod_dixon1.jpg

[wayne b]

Leo,
Welcome abroad! It's a real pleasure to have you in here with us, I've been an admirer of your work for many years...the shot of Virgin and Seko side by side is one of my favorites, and I do occasionally refer people to it when they ask about form. Also, the shot of Amby and Bill sitting together is great.
Wayne

[Leo]

Leo,
Welcome abroad! It's a real pleasure to have you in here with us, I've been an admirer of your work for many years...the shot of Virgin and Seko side by side is one of my favorites, and I do occasionally refer people to it when they ask about form. Also, the shot of Amby and Bill sitting together is great.
Wayne

Hi Wayne. Thanks its good to be here. I believe we exchanged an e-mail or 2 a while back. Do you still write a blog?

Leo

[wayne b]

Leo,
The blog's very irregular now...but if all goes well, I may be coaching at the HS level by next year. I'm completing a second bachelor's in math with the intention of teaching. and yes, I think you'd described my picture of Patti, Amby and Johnny Kelley the Younger as "a keeper," something I considered high praise.
Wayne

[Leo]

Ah yes I remember the photo Wayne. Coaching at the HS level, that's great. I'm in education myself. Well sort of...I'm a custodian at Litchfield HS.

[wayne b]

Leo,
Sometimes kids get good lessons from custodians and the like...because they're not authority figures, they're sometimes more approachable.
Wayne

[patti]

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=MMVmDJtwgSk

[Leo]

Thanks for posting the You Tube video Patti. Great stuff.

[wineturtle]

bump

[wayne b]

The Grete Gallop got you thinking about her?

[wineturtle]

Her birthday First of October was the trigger for me I knew I'd bump it weeks ago.
Truthfully I didn't even check the race results till right after I finished posting this. :o

[My Beauty]

Thanks, Mr. Wineturtle for bumping this thread.

Sadly, I never met Grete. I have a thick notebook of all the autographs I have from famous runners, and the very first page is missing her signature. I consider it one of my prime failings for not getting her autograph.

~MB~

[wineturtle]

Thankful we have a multi generational board and can pass down the oral history of "What being a runner" was like over the last 50 years

[OrvilleAtkins]

Thank you wineturtle.
During my walk this morning, I was trying to estimate how many Thanksgivings I have celebrated. At least 90, I guess. Many years it was the Canadian and US Celebrations and then in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics there was a third.