Coug,
Good to hear from you. I did not get to see Pre run very much I was in Kenya during the years he shined. Saw the movie on his life, last year, really motivational and inspiring, except the tragic way it ended.
Henry Rono is won of my favorites as well. The record string in 1978 was supurb. It was a shame he did not hang in there for a few more years. Like Pre, but only worse, he got to drinking to much.
Kip Keino is one of my heros. He has a home for orphans just outside of Eldoret, Kenya and a sports shot in town. His service to the community has changed a lot of lives. Although he never attended, St. Frances, Iten, just out of Eldoret as well, he has influenced the program that schools running program that has produced so many world champions.
Are you familiar with the 800 meter runner Mike Boit. He, too, contributed a lot to the running community in Kenya after he retired.
I remember seeing Mary Decker and Francis Lerreu sp) run in California when they were young girls and women. They were the ones who really got other American girls to dream and work toward running greatness.
My favorate coach is Mihaly Igloi. I trained under him at the Santa Monica Athletic club in the summer between my senior year in H.S. and first year in college. He was all business and really worked on creating confidence in less than confident runners like myself. His string of champs were Jim Beatty, Norm Higgins, Jerry Smart, Tracy Smith, and his own Hungarians Lazlo Labori. |
