Before going to Boston in April of 1983, I ran in the Gasparilla 15K in Florida that February (photo below). After that it was a fast indoor 2 mile (9:13) in the Dakota Dome and then a win at the Inclement 25K in Minneapolis. I was ready for a good marathon.
The first mile of Boston 1983 - yes, it does go downhill and that makes it especially hard to hold back and not start too fast.
The top of Heart Break Hill. Virgil is up the road ahead of me and I'm trying to regain control of race. 5 miles to go.
Boston finish in 2:18:26 - Relief and joy. Virgil Tjeerdsma was right behind me in 2:18:49.
Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time was 2:19:04.
Virgil and I got a nice write-up in the local paper after the Boston.
Virgil Tjeersda and I in New York City admiring a subway car. Virgil and I always enjoyed each others company, rather in races or just hanging out. Maybe because we're both South Dakota farm kids. On this occasion we were in New York to participate in a race in 1988. We're we really that young?
