Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

[Conor Dary]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

I eyeballed Kennedy here in Indy about a year ago, and it looked like he had gained a significant amount of weight. Plus, his wife is an rising big hitter in the Democratic party; a probable candidate for Mayor next year. We've had some unfortunate police scandals recently which make incumbent Republican Mayor Ballard's re-election a bit iffy.
Bottom line, methinks Bob is moving on to a new life's chapter, aka as running his three "The Running Company" stores and grooming himself to be the city's First Gentleman.

BK did some race commentary a few years ago and I was really surprised how much weight he had put on. He looked like Mr. PuffBall.

But he can always take it off again. I remember years ago in Boulder when a former AAU CC champ had quit running and he showed up in a race in Denver. I sort of recognized him but he was so fat, I had to go up to listen to him talk to confirm it. However, a couple of years later he was fit and running pretty well again as a master.

[4:24-miler]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

Sounds like Kennedy isn't even running just for fitness. I remember years ago, probably the early 1980's, watching a master's indoor mile on TV. I think it may have been at the Milrose Games. Well Jim Ryan was running the master's mile. He looked quite a bit heavier. He struggled to run something like a 4:40+ mile, well behind the leaders.

[Conor Dary]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

Sounds like Kennedy isn't even running just for fitness. I remember years ago, probably the early 1980's, watching a master's indoor mile on TV. I think it may have been at the Milrose Games. Well Jim Ryan was running the master's mile. He looked quite a bit heavier. He struggled to run something like a 4:40+ mile, well behind the leaders.

Ryun was born in April 1947, so he became a master in 1987 and that Millrose meet was one I was at. While JR had put on a few pounds he still looked pretty fit, but did appear stiff and not his familiar fluid form. Which isn't terribly surprising after 20 years.

[kuha]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

It's amazing--perhaps not, actually--how much the biomechanics change with age. I've seen Ryun run a few times in recent decades and he pretty much looks like anyone else his age--the incredible efficiency is long gone. The Bannister mile at Iffley Road in 1994 was also very interesting, with it's line-up of former greats. Keino looked fairly good, but most of the others had nothing of their former grace and power. But, how many of us do, after one or two or four or more decades? Sh%& happens... I gave (and still give) any and all of those guys credit for just coming up and lacing up the spikes...

[4:24-miler]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

It's amazing--perhaps not, actually--how much the biomechanics change with age. I've seen Ryun run a few times in recent decades and he pretty much looks like anyone else his age--the incredible efficiency is long gone. The Bannister mile at Iffley Road in 1994 was also very interesting, with it's line-up of former greats. Keino looked fairly good, but most of the others had nothing of their former grace and power. But, how many of us do, after one or two or four or more decades? Sh%& happens... I gave (and still give) any and all of those guys credit for just coming up and lacing up the spikes...

Does that have to do more with age or Ryan not competing or running in his older years I wonder? When Eamonn Coghlan ran sub 4:00 in his 40's he didn't look that different than in his prime. Even in his 40's and early 50's Bill Rodgers was still a pretty high level runner. I find it interesting that Jim Ryun, Frank Shorter, and Bill Rodgers were all born in 1947 yet their running primes came at different age ranges in their lives.

[4:24-miler]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

[quote=Conor Dary]

Sounds like Kennedy isn't even running just for fitness. I remember years ago, probably the early 1980's, watching a master's indoor mile on TV. I think it may have been at the Milrose Games. Well Jim Ryan was running the master's mile. He looked quite a bit heavier. He struggled to run something like a 4:40+ mile, well behind the leaders.

Ryun was born in April 1947, so he became a master in 1987 and that Millrose meet was one I was at. While JR had put on a few pounds he still looked pretty fit, but did appear stiff and not his familiar fluid form. Which isn't terribly surprising after 20 years.[/quote:1od54icy]
Do you remember what year this was? I think I was was still in high school so this was probably around 1983-84?

[kuha]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

Does that have to do more with age or Ryan not competing or running in his older years I wonder? When Eamonn Coghlan ran sub 4:00 in his 40's he didn't look that different than in his prime. Even in his 40's and early 50's Bill Rodgers was still a pretty high level runner. I find it interesting that Jim Ryun, Frank Shorter, and Bill Rodgers were all born in 1947 yet their running primes came at different age ranges in their lives.[/quote]

It may have something to do with not competing at all for a number of years. But, truthfully, people don't all age the same--some hold up better than others. I agree completely that Coghlan looked astonishingly good in his early 40s, but he's definitely the exception that proves the rule...

In terms of peaking at different times, Carlos Lopes is two months older than Ryun; one effectively "peaked" in 1967, the other in 1984. Go figure.

[Conor Dary]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

[quote=4:24-miler][quote="Conor Dary":13hing30]

Sounds like Kennedy isn't even running just for fitness. I remember years ago, probably the early 1980's, watching a master's indoor mile on TV. I think it may have been at the Milrose Games. Well Jim Ryan was running the master's mile. He looked quite a bit heavier. He struggled to run something like a 4:40+ mile, well behind the leaders.

Ryun was born in April 1947, so he became a master in 1987 and that Millrose meet was one I was at. While JR had put on a few pounds he still looked pretty fit, but did appear stiff and not his familiar fluid form. Which isn't terribly surprising after 20 years.[/quote:13hing30]
Do you remember what year this was? I think I was was still in high school so this was probably around 1983-84?[/quote:13hing30]

If I wasn't clear, it was the 1987 MIllrose.

[4:24-miler]

Re: Bob Kennedy, masters athlete

In terms of peaking at different times, Carlos Lopes is two months older than Ryun; one effectively "peaked" in 1967, the other in 1984. Go figure.

Oh wow, how could I forget Lopes! Lopes is another extreme in "peaking" late. I wonder if 800m/1500m types peak earlier than 5K/10K types?