The man credited with igniting the running boom in the US

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

In 1972, American long-distance runner Frank Shorter lit up the sporting landscape when he claimed the gold medal in the marathon at the Olympic Games in Munich. It had a major impact, with most commentators, pundits and historians in retrospect believing this was the moment the running boom “ignited” in the United States.

Shorter was 24-years-old back then, a 5ft 10” product of Middletown, New York – where today a street is named after him – who first sprang to fame when winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association six-mile run title during his senior year at the famous Yale University in 1969.

He subsequently claimed his first US national titles in the three and six-mile disciplines in 1970 and was the 10,000 metres United States champion in 1971, 1974, 1975 and 1977.

“Ignited” the American running boom? Shorter damn well set it on fire!

The crowning glory, of course, was the Olympic Games marathon victory in 1972 in Munich, the city of his birth – his father was stationed there with the US Army – and although, surprisingly, his greatest triumph is the last thing we get around to talking about, it would be remiss not to embrace this as the reference point here.

Shorter recounts his memories of that glorious day.

“As an athlete, you train and you try to be ready and peak at the right time. When I crossed the finish line in Munich, I got it right. The training I did and how I prepared was right. I get goose bumps when I think about it,” he smiles.

He is back there now, in that moment, and he is – ignited. “Ask John Treacy the day he had in the Olympics [silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games]. When you realise you done it right and you get out there and early on in the race you can tell. You can tell that is going to be a good day. I had that feeling when I took off at nine miles, 15 kilometres.

“I ran about 4.33 for the next mile and nobody went with me and the thought that was in my mind when I turned around and saw they hadn’t gone with me was I think they are making a big mistake. Because I wasn’t just surging, I was going away. So, when I crossed the finish line, it was, yeah, I did the right thing.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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