Best Efforts: The NIke OTC Marathon 1980, by Bob Hodge

RunBlogRun into:  Bob Hodge ran the 1980 NIKE OTC Marathon, in an epic battle with Dick Quax.

The NIKE OTC Marathon was a glorious marathon which was short-lived, from 1973 to 1984. In 1988, NIKE OTC Marathon became a 25k for one year, when NIKE ended it sponsorship. 

Bob Hodge wrote this piece about the 1980 version of the NIKE OTC Marathon, where he battled Dick Quax. 

The NIKE OTC Marathon was held in the first week of September each year. It was from an epic time in our sport. 

Enjoy this piece from Bob Hodge. You can find Bob’s writing at http://bobhodge.us/project-eagle/

Best Efforts

The NIKE OTC Marathon 1980 

It’s early in the race which started early and I feel as if I’m on a training run back home with a group of friends. This race has none of the big city vibe of a Boston or NYC just a small press crew somewhere out front and a motorcyclist leading the runners.

After a few miles through the neighborhoods outside Hayward Field– where the race would finish on the track –we crossed the Willamette River over a pedestrian bridge with a great view. I was content to race the race and I didn’t think much about split times just ran by feel.

(Reportedly 31:57 10K —floating for now)

My only other marathon racing attempts had been at Boston where there are no meaningful splits only traditional checkpoints at odd distances where there was never anyone giving splits no way no how.

They did provide a report in the next days Globe showing who were the top ten runners at each checkpoint and the leaders times relative to the record times.

I often wonder why no one went out even on their own volition and marked off the miles—probably would have been arrested by the BAA police for vandalism.

So, you learned a valuable lesson in pacing letting your body and mind in coordination—just as it had in all those miles of trials—dictate while reacting to what was happening with the other contenders your brothers in sweat. Today every athlete wears a fancy watch and begins to cry if they are off a few seconds on some mile split.

Kevin McCarey, another of the Nike gang,  appeared to be setting the pace—perhaps as requested.

So, my mind wandered or a part of my mind while the pace seemed satisfying enough and the lead group down to a dozen or so at the half.

Going into the race I had a great summer after getting over the fact that my dream of…