A Bull Run

While the equity markets are experiencing a bull run these days, it gives me much greater pleasure to see my students get some good opportunities- a truly Bull Run. Even in this tight market, smart managers are recruiting and using smart talent. If only my physical running kept up with my academic running!

One of my inspirations and favorite memories of running is the 1985 Chicago marathon, which I saw on TV. Steve Jones ran a spectacular race. There is an interesting interview with him about the race.

A true legend in the sport, Welshman Steve Jones ("Jonesy") won the Chicago Marathon twice--in 1984 and 1985. The first time his 2:08:05 was a world record. His next crack at it (2:07:13) came up just one second short of Carlos Lopez's standard. Known as "The Fox" for his ferocious running right from the gun, Jones was also a pioneer at slightly higher altitude distance training, running 90 miles a week in Park City, Utah, at 7,500 feet, a good 2,000 feet higher than many of his contemporaries who trained in Boulder, Colorado. We caught up with Jones Saturday at the Reebok booth at the Expo.

Runner's World Daily: Tell us about the world record run in 1984.
Steve Jones: I didn't even know what the world record was. I just came to race against people like Deke (Rob DeCastella) and Carlos. I remember people shouting, getting excited around the 20-mile mark on the press truck. But it didn't mean anything. I didn't have a watch on. I couldn't equate the time on the lead clock to how fast I was running really. I knew it was fairly quick. But I just didn't know what the world record was or how it was going to affect me at the end of the race. There was drama in that there was a bit of an accident. About 18 miles, Gabriel Kamau cut across Jeff Smith and myself on a corner and took himself out. He fell down. Jeff almost went down behind him, but I caught Jeff by the arm and held him up. Then I thought: It's getting too crowded. People are getting tired. Reaction times are slower. So I just bogged off. And at about 19 1/2 miles I left Carlos and Rob. I won by over a minute.

RWD: Tell us about 1985.
SJ: I had the world record for six months and then Carlos broke it. I came back to Chicago, but I didn't have any strong thoughts or ideas about going after a world record. I just wanted to beat Deke. Even though I was the defending champ and former world record holder, I felt that Deke was getting the publicity. He was still the superstar. That was fuel to the fire. I just wanted to beat Rob. He's a great guy and a great friend, but I wanted to show him that it was my race. And I should have been where he was.

RWD: The gun goes off...
SJ: Carl Thackery was the pacemaker. He was supposed to go through about half-way. We got to the mile in about 4:50. And he said: "Is this fast enough?" I said, "Yes, just keep it like this and it will be fine." Then I picked it up, though. I wanted to get away, and by four miles Carl had dropped out and I was all by myself then. We went through 10 miles in 47:20, and the half-marathon in 61:40.

RWD: Is that the fastest half-marathon split ever?
SJ: It was for many years, and still might be pretty close. I was out there and I didn't turn around. I just kept focus. You can watch the video now and see I was just focused on forward. In 1984 when I was with a group I was looking around, at the helicopter above, but when I was by myself I was focused. You can shut everything else out when you are by yourself. No one is going to trip you and you're not going to fall down.

RW: 1:01:40. That feels painful just saying it. When did it start hurting?
SJ: I don't know. It's something that sets in pretty quickly. It's not like you get a little tighter and more sore. I remember going through 18 miles and my good friend and manager Allan Warner was at the 18-mile point, where, the previous year, Gabriel fell down. Allan was getting a bit worried because I had gone off so fast, thought I was going to overcook it. He shouted at 18 miles: "Jonesy, you okay?" I just winked at him. I just carried on. So he knew I was fine. I wasn't in any pain, but I do remember the last couple of miles. I was actually slowing down. My legs were a little sore. I was still running 5-minute miles.

RW: One second off the world record. That must have hurt a little.
SJ: I didn't wear a watch. And there was a bone of contention about the timing. Chris Brasher was writing for "The Guardian" at the time. And a couple of other reporters that were here made a fuss about the press truck leaving me at 23 miles so I didn't have any idea with no clock there. But they had to get to the finish so they could get off before I finished. Everyone seemed to think that if I had that clock there, I would have got that one second. But I just ran as hard as I could for as long as I could.