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Okay, it's time for everyone to cough up their top 10. Whether it's your favorite ten athletes all time, the ten most memorable track happenings you've seen on TV, your top ten gripes with our sport; whatever. Yours need not be as long as mine.
Here's my 10 favorite distance runners.
1. Paul Tergat—Major bad ass. I've got a soft spot for cross country specialists, as you'll see. But Tergat was also amazing on the track and roads and is now finally showing his stuff over the marathon. His 10K WR in Brussels '97 was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw. Doesn't hurt that he came to my brother's wedding.
2. Pat Porter—Was my idol in middle and high school. The greatest American cross country runner ever (I know, Virgin won Worlds twice). Also made 2 Olympic teams. Skinny as hell. Saw him win the '86 nationals in Golden Gate Park when I was 12.
3. Carlos Lopes—Another great cross runner, but was also a bad ass over the marathon (obviously) and track. I had no speed so I liked guys who were tough and got outkicked. Was injured for years but stuck it out and came back even better. Very inspirational.
4. Salvatore Antibo—A Sicilian with big hair and gold chains/bracelets who looked more to the Africans for inspiration than other Italians. Wore some cool ass Diadoras. Also skinny as hell. A bit of a nutter; never put it together in the big meets after his '88 silver, but his Euro double in '90 was pretty cool. I loved the photo from the T&FN rankings of that year with the Italians carrying him around the track.
5. Ismael Kirui—His gutsy front-running win in the '93 5000 was the greatest race I've ever seen. The '95 surprise win where he deceptively increased the pace over the final laps was a work of art. Won my hometown Bay to Breakers 3 times. Would've placed higher on this list but once wore biker shorts at the DN Galan.
6. Nick Rose—The Pistol from Bristol. A gutsy, hard-drinking front-runner who was never scared to race, whether it was cross, indoors, the roads or on the track. In the Western Kentucky media guide he listed his hobbies as "Partying and music." Great hair. He and his Hilltopper teammates looked more like a rock band than a cross team.
7. Geb—Should be higher, but he was Tergat's nemesis, so he gets shafted.
8. Sergey Lebed—Another cross specialist. The only non African-born runner to place as high as 2nd in the World Cross since '89 (’01). Speaks Italian with a great Ukrainian accent.
9. Richard Chelimo—Brother of Kirui. Another tough SOB. When I saw him break the 10K WR in '93in Stockholm I cried.
10. Anders Gärderud—I'm half Swedish so I had to get him in here. Was criticized for never putting it together in the big race, but finally silenced everyone with his WR win in Montreal. Chuckled in Edmonton when I pointed out to him that he was still the Canadian steeple all-comers record holder.
Here's my 10 favorite distance runners.
1. Paul Tergat—Major bad ass. I've got a soft spot for cross country specialists, as you'll see. But Tergat was also amazing on the track and roads and is now finally showing his stuff over the marathon. His 10K WR in Brussels '97 was one of the most beautiful things I ever saw. Doesn't hurt that he came to my brother's wedding.
2. Pat Porter—Was my idol in middle and high school. The greatest American cross country runner ever (I know, Virgin won Worlds twice). Also made 2 Olympic teams. Skinny as hell. Saw him win the '86 nationals in Golden Gate Park when I was 12.
3. Carlos Lopes—Another great cross runner, but was also a bad ass over the marathon (obviously) and track. I had no speed so I liked guys who were tough and got outkicked. Was injured for years but stuck it out and came back even better. Very inspirational.
4. Salvatore Antibo—A Sicilian with big hair and gold chains/bracelets who looked more to the Africans for inspiration than other Italians. Wore some cool ass Diadoras. Also skinny as hell. A bit of a nutter; never put it together in the big meets after his '88 silver, but his Euro double in '90 was pretty cool. I loved the photo from the T&FN rankings of that year with the Italians carrying him around the track.
5. Ismael Kirui—His gutsy front-running win in the '93 5000 was the greatest race I've ever seen. The '95 surprise win where he deceptively increased the pace over the final laps was a work of art. Won my hometown Bay to Breakers 3 times. Would've placed higher on this list but once wore biker shorts at the DN Galan.
6. Nick Rose—The Pistol from Bristol. A gutsy, hard-drinking front-runner who was never scared to race, whether it was cross, indoors, the roads or on the track. In the Western Kentucky media guide he listed his hobbies as "Partying and music." Great hair. He and his Hilltopper teammates looked more like a rock band than a cross team.
7. Geb—Should be higher, but he was Tergat's nemesis, so he gets shafted.
8. Sergey Lebed—Another cross specialist. The only non African-born runner to place as high as 2nd in the World Cross since '89 (’01). Speaks Italian with a great Ukrainian accent.
9. Richard Chelimo—Brother of Kirui. Another tough SOB. When I saw him break the 10K WR in '93in Stockholm I cried.
10. Anders Gärderud—I'm half Swedish so I had to get him in here. Was criticized for never putting it together in the big race, but finally silenced everyone with his WR win in Montreal. Chuckled in Edmonton when I pointed out to him that he was still the Canadian steeple all-comers record holder.
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