Paul Collyer - 1 April 2000
After reading the piece in the last CCAC newsletter on Pete Stringer's opinion & statements about clydesdale & filly divisions, I thought it necessary to pipe in and correct some of the inaccurate statements and offer an opposing opinion.
The divisions were never created for Dave Barry's "fatties" or anyone else's "fatties"..they were created in the early 1980s for big fit runners, triathletes, duathletes and cyclists who competed and for the mid-pack & back of the pack runner, triathlete, duathlete & cyclist also.. Joe Law of Maryland and the original drive behind the divisions promoted them as divisions for big fit athletes who like to compete. Joe's entire focus was on this and never on the out of shape "fatties" of the world....even though as with the age divisions and every other division that the sport allows like most sports endeavors..there was a place for the mid & back of the packer...very rarely do you see every runner in the 30-39 age divisions..running sub 6's..
Joe died in the late 80's and the reins were turned over to Dan Inteman of Long Island, New York who promoted the divisions in the same manner..for big fit athletes..but with more tilt towards triathletes & duathletes..never did Dan promote the divisions for "fatties" or 5'2"-250lbs. 12 minute milers..even though they were most welcome to participate in the divisions like the age divisions allow the same "type" of participant..
Come the mid 90's, a few new names popped into the arena of promoting the divisions..Papa Clyde in New England, Guy East in Indiana, & Brian McMahon in Florida...Papa Clyde's emphasis on running, Guy & Brian's emphasis on triathlons & duathlons..one similarity of the current promoters nationally is that the divisions are promoted as divisions for big fit athletes..with total emphasis on fitness & fun...just like the age divisions...
Peter Stringer mentions the columnist Dave Barry and Dave's attempt at humor, but he neglects to mention the numerous serious articles that the famed Dr. George Sheehan wrote advocating the divisions in Runners World, his own books and other print media available in the 80's, Amby Burfoot's pieces in past Runners World articles and last but not least the many past and present C&F newsletters that really show how the divisions are promoted contrary to Peter's statement that they were created for Dave Barry's "fatties"...
The similarity between Dr. George Sheehan & Amby Burfoot was that they took the time to really experience what was happening in the Clydesdale & Filly movement by attending Clydesdale & Filly Championship level events like the now defunct Huba Buba 5 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana & the Portland Marathon in Portland, Oregon and then writing insightful opinions on the divisions..
In 1999, the top 10 women in the final standings of the New England C&F series all weighed in excess of 155lbs. and stood 5'8" or shorter with the exception of two women who each hit the yardstick at 6' and weighed in at 180lbs.+..three of the top women ran sub 3:30 marathons in 1999..with one doing a 3:08 at Ocean State..the one similarity was that they all ran hard and often in 1999..on the men's side of the stable we have multiple divisions due to the larger participation and here we had men from 190lbs. all the way up to 275lbs....in the 190-210 Open two of the top 3 men weighed in excess of 190lbs. and BOTH are 5'10 and each ran sub 3:00 at Boston in 1999...
There was a mention of Larry Bird..the comparison is foolish..Larry was a world class athlete and has been retired for 10 years..WE have in our New England Championship Series maybe one guy who reaches this height..and he also weighs 220lbs....when was the last time at any running or multisport event with divisions have you seen any athlete, man or women who has attained the height of 6'4" & 190lbs.+ winning any age division or place in the top three in a division...... are there tall men among the C&F ranks..of course there is ..are they all of this physique..NO..has the author taken the time to investigate this...NO!!!!!!!
The divisions were created for big fit atletes..some times they come in small and big packages...in the final end..the best win..if we were to base the divisions on Peter's suggestion 5' 9" Mike Tyson would not be fighting a Pinklon Thomas who was 6" taller than Mike when Iron Mike knocked out Pinklon, and when a 5' 10" Joe Louis whupped a 6'6" Cassuis Clay ...or when Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano repeatedly knocked out other great heavyweights...sometimes 10-30 pounds heavier than both... and two years past..a great local male masters runner WON the Charbo's Run..should that great masters runner not be allowed to compete as a masters cause he is TOO GOOD..or the great Ukrainian women's masters runner who has won the Houston Marathon the past few years be disallowed from further masters competition till she slows down cause she is TOO GOOD
Stop knocking the divisions now because we have developed our own stars who are big and fit within the ranks of C&F athletes because they have achieved and perhaps even become better and much more exciting than the age divisional winners.
An open invitation has been personally delivered to Peter just this past week while he was raking my mother's back yard..to get off the Cape..and to attend a 2000 USA Clydesdale & Filly Racing Federation Championship Race..to cover as a writer and then to make an opinion that will be based on "being there" and not on his perception of what the divisions "should be". GO CCAC Filly Team!!!
Cheers
Paul Collyer
Columns represent the opinions of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the attitudes of the club.