NORTH VANCOUVER, Canada -- Four students from Ohio University in Athens became some of the fastest Boston Marathon finishers of all times in their age range by placing 22nd, 36th, 47th, and 64th in times ranging from 2 hours, 36 minutes, to 2:56.
But there is more to this story than just those facts.
Once upon a time, there were four runners, and I was one of them. The year was 1964. We were among 300-plus men entered in the Boston Marathon that year. (The first woman officially to run the marathon did so three years later, in 1967.)
Remarkably, these four runners’ results have stood for 56 years in spite of modern technology and hype in a race that now has about 50,000 participants. For example, the first-place 19-year-old runner in the most recent race was 2:39.
We were not the elite runners at Ohio University, except for Larry Smith, who was 16th in NCAA Division 1 cross country that year. We were missing the great Elmore Banton from Akron, who won the NCAA cross country championship that fall, leading our team to a 3rd-place result. Elmore chose not to run; neither did John Blair, our other star. They couldn’t see the point of running 26 miles when competitive races in college were so much shorter, like the 10,000 meters.
The Four Horsemen of Ohio: Larry Smith was our inspiration. He was a small guy from East Cleveland but what he lacked in size he made up for in determination and leadership. He ran the marathon in 2:36, placed 22nd, and was the first African American to finish in that Boston Marathon, beating out the veteran Ted Corbitt. It was also Larry’s idea to run in Boston.
The other three of us were from typical Ohio high schools. Steve Radcliffe placed 36th, running the best race of his life. Al Trammell also ran well, finishing 64th. As for me, I was Ohio high school cross country state champion in 1962, but now I was a little fish in the big NCAA pond. I finished 47th, in 2:49.
Former Ohio University runner Alex Jamieson, who scooped up 47th place in the 1964 Boston Marathon, now runs occasionally with his granddaughter, who also does cartwheels. (Photo by Kaia Wagner)
Our coach: The late Stan Huntsman tolerated our novel training idea, since we didn’t have an indoor track. He got us some yellow cotton T-shirts that said “Ohio Marathon Club” on the front. We trained all winter on the hilly gravel roads in Athens. One Saturday, we ran a timed 20 miles in just about 2 hours. That means we had run at 6 minutes per mile, or 10 miles per hour. We were ready to run 26 miles at a good pace.
Boston: On the day before the marathon, we drove the 12 hours to Boston. Bill Keller, a grad student/coach, drove. The next day, it was cold and drizzly. We waited at the starting line for what seemed like hours in the cool temperatures. Finally, we were off in a herd of energy and testosterone! Aurèle Vandendriessche from Belgium was in the lead group, and won handily in 2:19:59. The rest of us quickly strung out, and I saw nobody I knew until after the finish line.
I was glad my dad had bought me a pair of the first New Balance road-running shoes, red and white lightweight leather with rubber “ripple soles.” I had broken them in and I got no blisters.
For the last few miles, the cheering crowds grew intense. Were they cheering for me? Later, I learned that I was a few steps ahead of John A. Kelley, a true local hero. A couple of years ago, I discovered that Kelley won the Boston Marathon in 1945, the year I was born! I salute his 1964 achievement, so different from our youthful experience.
Epilogue: In retrospect, we were ahead of our times. We ran a marathon well before it became fashionable. Coach Huntsman recruited men of color before most Americans realized they were excellent distance runners, not just sprinters. He treated them with respect. Guys like Larry and Elmore taught me about hard work and discipline.
Alex Jamieson, who now lives in North Vancouver, Canada, did not run competitively for many years while his children were growing up. He took up masters running and continued until about 2011. He is married, with two children and five grandchildren, and runs occasionally with his granddaughter. She also does cartwheels.
To reach Alex Jamieson: ajamieson31@yahoo.ca
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