Now that we are in the heat of racing season, this week we celebrate cross country racing with the help of arguably the best US XC runner in history!
“Cross Country is the most democratic and egalitarian form of racing. The terrain negates much of the speed advantage of the elite track runner, giving strength and mental toughness a greater opportunity to prevail!”
Feature Pic Above and to the right
WHAT: TAC (now USATF) XC Championships
WHEN: 1985
WHERE: Franklin Park (golf course), Boston, MA
WHO: Pat Porter (8xUS XC Champion from 1982 – 1989. He was also a 2-time Olympian in the 10,000 meters)
Quote from a legendary NH runner regarding this particular race:
“…went to this race with my father, I was a senior in HS and he brought me down upon my request .. saw Porter coming down the hill (the old Franklin park course, on the hospital side of things). Long stride, tiny shorts, cross striations in his hamstrings. Blew me away. Salazar was a well beaten man, Dean Kimball (NH legend)) right behind him, with Dan Dillon there as well. What a great day…”
Editor’s Note: Due to the graciousness of Jeff Johnson, John Goegel and others, we are carrying over a series begun during the track season on our sister site, newhampshiretrackandfield.com . For those of you that don’t know, Jeff Johnson was employee #1 of Nike. He actually is the one responsible for naming the company. Fortunately for us, he was also a world class photographer of our great sports in the 1960s and 1970s during which he captured thousands of sports photographs. We are honored and thankful for their choice to use our sites as their medium for sharing their passion. We hope our presentations can do them justice!
Photos by Jeff Johnson
Quotes by Jeff Johnson from his work in progress: “In Other Words: Things I Think I Said When I Was Trying To Think Of Something To Say.”
If you are interested in a poster version of a photo from this series, they are available for a small charge. Contact us via nhcrosscountry@gmail.com
One Response
Came of age when Pat Porter wasn’t only one of the best in the US, but one of the best in the world. Loved hearing about his training and racing exploits. Would love to go back to then with what I know now.