Masters Running

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1980 Jersey Shore Marathon Report (Read 497 times)


King of PhotoShop

    Yes, you read that right. I have a story to share with you, one that is either amusing or not so amusing, depending on your point of view. I had run the well-known Jersey Shore Marathon a couple of times before 1980. It used to go from Asbury Park to Sandy Hook and back, and was usually held the first week in January. Needless to say, it was always very cold and only the hardiest runners entered it. We didn't have those great tights that runners wear today and it was tough to find effective cold-weather running gear. Mostly you stayed in the Convention Center or your car until seconds before the gun, then moved quickly to the start in whatever outfit you liked to run in. (Today's runners have it easier of course, yada yada....) I remember one year, in the late 70's, they asked a local priest to give a blessing to the runners at the start. He stood on an adjacent rooftop with a PA system. As he droned on and on with, "Lord bless these runners, keep them safe from the wind and cold..." etc., the runners got impatient and started in booing and shouting, "SHUT UP!" "$%&# YOU" at the priest. I will never forget it. It was 6 degrees that year. But by 1980 they had changed things considerably. In earlier years it was actually run on the boardwalk itself, until they figured out that was not such a great surface for a race. By '80 it was a double out-and-back, not all the way to Sandy Hook, and they had changed the date to December, when they figured it would be warmer! My brother in law Joe (you remember him from CR; he has the 30 year running streak and now lives in California) decided he wanted to run this race for his first marathon, but when we went to apply, he found the entries had been closed. He was pretty upset and wrote a personal letter to the race director, Tom Baum, to get an exemption. He was denied. Baum wrote: "Sorry but it's too late. I suggest you send for an '81 application after January 7th..." Well, I had an entry and had planned to run it, but just before the race, I was injured. I thought, "Well, no sense wasting the entry. I'll give it to Joe" so I did, and he ran it using my number. Just an editorial comment here. We have had all kinds of discussions on the forums about banditing races, switching numbers etc. Many of you will even recall my jumping all over runwun for banditing. (It was PBJ who sponsored him in a race shortly after that in fact, quite generous of him too.) But back then it was different. Races were smaller and there wasn't that much concern. If you had an entry, and you couldn't use it, let someone else use it. Or so I figured. I couldn't have predicted what would happen next. So Joe ran the race using my number and had a pretty good effort for a first-timer. About a week after the race, I got a beautiful certificate from the marathon. I thought, "Gee, this isn't right. They ought to give Joe a certificate with his own name on it." So I wrote to Tom Baum and innocently requested same. Here is an excerpt from my letter: "My brother in law was unable to secure an entry to your fine race so I lent him my number. This was his first marathon and I would very much like for him to have the beautiful certificate which you sent me, with his own name on it. I know it will mean a great deal to him. Enclosed is $1 to cover postage...Thank you for your consideration." Here is what Mr. Baum wrote back to me: "I received your letter with the enclosed certificate today. Don't you believe we mean what we SAY in the instructions? (see enclosed copy) The Jersey Shore Marathon Committee will take up the matter of this violation of our rules concerning yourself and Mr. (Joe). I'm sorry that you had to put us in this position." He had enclosed a copy of the rules, which I had not read before of course. They said: "DO NOT ALLOW SOMEONE ELSE TO USE YOUR NUMBER. Violators will be banned from future Jersey Shore Marathons." Needless to say, I was pretty embarrassed. And of course I didn't apply to any more Jersey Shore Marathons for fear of reminding them of who I was and further upsetting Mr. Baum. So what's the moral of this story? There isn't one I guess, except that it is not a good idea to switch numbers, lend numbers to your friends, or sell entries. RD's work hard to organize races so the scoring will be right and the race conducted with integrity. Still, Joe kids me from time to time for writing that stupid letter asking for the certificate, and I never did get my dollar back. I spoke with Joe about this recently, the occasion being that he had bumped into a guy during his travels who now directs the Jersey Shore Marathon and Joe shared this story with him. At the end of the conversation this guy invited Joe to come back to the race and offered him a free entry. He also told Joe that he knew Tom and that Tom was a great race director and a fine man. I have no doubt of it. Tom Baum, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, I hope you never encountered another problem entrant like me. You always did a fine and upstanding job. Spareribs
    wildchild


    Carolyn

      Sometimes it's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission...

      I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

      evanflein


        I love these stories. And now we know the story behind the lecture... Tongue
        coastwalker


          Thanks, Spareribs. In the Hampton Half Marathon last month, not too long after I had finished, the scaffolding over the finish line fell on a woman runner. Her injuries were significant. I later read that there was an appreciable delay in contacting her family because she appeared to have been wearing someone else's bib. That is one of a RD's greatest fears with having entrants switch bibs without permission. Granted, stuff like that almost never happens. But sometimes "almost" isn't good enough. With all due respect, Wildchild, it is more a matter of being able to respond properly and quickly in a situation like this than it is of forgiveness vs. permission. So, please, do the right thing. Jay

          Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

          btb1490


            A very nice story with a happy ending, thank you Spareribs. I think you should've used white-out on the certificate and given it to your brother, as a reminder of what took place. If you had read the rules, do you think you still would have given up your number?


            King of PhotoShop

              If you had read the rules, do you think you still would have given up your number?
              I thought about this before replying here and the answer is, "I don't know; probably not all of it." In 1980 I was a pretty serious runner with already some good times under my belt. Back then, I "knew" what was important and what was not. Important were things like: course description, certified, probable weather and aid station frequency and beverages. Unimportant were things like: where you park, the pasta party, the expo (there weren't many then and they were crummy). I am sure I never read the rules. The answer is that it's a question of maturity and/or wisdom. How could I have written such a stupid letter? Clearly I was just ignorant. So back then on balance I guess I would say I would do the same thing again but not have written the dumb letter afterwards. Spareribs
                Good story, Ribs. Actually, if the disclaimer that they always have you sign was on the original application that you sent in (I'm sure you didn't enter online!), then I can see why they're adamant about not giving your entry away: your BIL was running without having actually signed the liability waiver.

                Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI

                "Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"

                  Ribs, thanks for the story Smile I read it again today for the laughs before I dive into a pile of lab reports. I really like the bit about the frozen runners telling the priest to HTFU on his blessing. I have meetings at work that are like that.
                    Good story and some important reminders therein. Now I know where the $1 comes from too. You might want to raise your rates a bit! Thanks CNYrunner
                    SteveP


                      I've seen you as a crime fighting figure Shocked ......mmmm......however, that was before "those great tights that runners wear today" therefore, one can understand outlandish behavior.

                      SteveP


                      King of PhotoShop

                        I've seen you as a crime fighting figure Shocked ......mmmm......however, that was before "those great tights that runners wear today" therefore, one can understand outlandish behavior.
                        Steve, I swear that if you ever leave this site, I will plunge a dagger into my heart. Absolutely no one entertains like you do, and the fact that you are a pretty good runner and a generous, selfless man is icing on the cake for the rest of us. You have natural talent. Spareribs
                          Good story,RIBS! Do you find it strange to be running and talking about for all these years? Gone by fast, I'll bet! Doug, to bad it's the liability issue that is at the crux of that argument. So Joe's running and he didn't sign the waiver...does that mean that the race organizers are liable for some incident? Confused I's a shame that's all we think about today! Fran


                          King of PhotoShop

                            Fran, Roch brought up a good point, touched on by Coastwalker. The liability issue is much more top of mind today than in 1980. I'm sure neither Joe nor I considered it then. Joe, you out there? Would love to hear your comments on this thread. Spareribs
                              I'm with btb on the white-out plan (in fact, do you still have that certificate...?) Of course "Steve" (Bruce) would pick up the tights reference--he's been wearing them since 1940! Here's a question: if you give your race number to someone and the scaffolding falls on them and they sue the RD, can the RD bring you into the case as a necessary party and argue you are liable for the damages sustained by your giftee? Confused grins, A
                              Masters 2000 miles
                                That was fun! Okay, sure, there were complications but, it was still fun to read. I am glad I am a race director for a very small 5K. I don't have to turn folks away.
                                LaVita
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