Grete was great...

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I thinking it’s a bad sign when I need the kayak to paddle to the end of the driveway to pick up the paper. It’s also a strong indicator that I’ll be riding indoors again.

There was a sad note coming out of the sports world from Norway. Grete Waitz, the first lady of women’s marathoning died after a 6-year struggle with cancer. She was 57. I remember her as the invincible lady of the Marathon. She ran her first one in New York City in 1978 at a time when women were still considered too fragile by the International Olympic Committee to run more than 3 miles. At that time, she was a two-time Olympian and the world record holder at 3,0000 meters. She was actually running the race only to serve as a ‘rabbit’…someone in the race to set a fast pace early to help other runners to a fast time, but having no intentions of running the entire distance. She did run it all, suffering tremendously from the lack of training for that distance…but winning the race AND setting a world’s record. Over the next ten years, she would win the race eight more times.

She went on to win the World Championship in 1983 in the Marathon, then traveled to Los Angeles and the ’84 Olympics for the first-ever women’s Olympic marathon (they figured out ladies were pretty tough after all). She had a classic race with American champion, Joan Benoit, but had to settle for the silver medal as Joan captured the gold.

Grete was the complete package. She won on the roads, the track, and was a five-time winner of the world cross-country championship, as well. She did so much to bring attention to the sport of running for women, something so many benefit from today. The sport will surely miss her.

If I could run, I’d have headed out the door…but as much as I admire Grete, I’m still struggling with pain in my knee and stuck on the trainer. I rode 45 minutes before John arrived at the house with a birthday gift. He constantly complains about the state of my cycling shorts…my sweat is tough on them and he says they’re too thin which he hates to deal with when riding behind me…so he got me two new pairs. The old ones are still okay though, so I’m going to wear them until there’s actually a blowout. Sorry, John.

Bike duration: 45 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 130 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 675.