Forums >General Running>ed whitlock - dead @ 86
Canadian marathoner...
Passed away today. 2017-03-13
https://www.thestar.com/sports/amateur/2017/03/13/masters-running-legend-ed-whitlock-dead-at-86.html
By The Canadian Press
Mon., March 13, 2017
Decorated marathon runner Ed Whitlock, who famously smashed several senior records, has died just days after his 86th birthday.
According to Canada Running Series, Whitlock’s family says he died today in a Toronto hospital.
The family says he had prostate cancer.
The British-born resident of Milton, Ont., who turned 86 last week, became the first septuagenarian to run a marathon in under three hours when he posted a time of two hours 59 minutes 10 seconds at age 72 at the 2003 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
A year later he improved that record with a time of 2:54:49.
Eventually he set world master’s marathon records for age 75-plus, 80-plus and, most recently, 85-plus with a time of 3:56:38 on Oct. 16 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Whitlock was known for his daily training sessions at Milton’s Evergreen Cemetery, where he would do laps around the grounds for hours.
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
Sad news. One of the greats.
It's Tuesday every day
Gack - so sorry to hear this. But thank you for posting the news. --Christine
undue monkey
We should all be so lucky to live 80+ years and be fit enough to run sub 4 during the last one.
Rest in peace.
English Villain
Running legend.
running metalhead
R.I.P Run In Peace.I want to be like him when I reach his age.
- Egmond ( 14 januari ) : 1:41:40 (21K)- Vondelparkloop ( 20 januari ) : 0:58.1 (10K but did 13.44!!!)- Twiskemolenloop ( 4 maart ) : 1:35:19 (3th M45!)
- Ekiden Zwolle (10K) ( 25 maart )- Rotterdam Marathon ( 8 april )- Leiden Marathon Halve ( 27 mei )- Marathon Amersfoort ( 10 juni)
not bad for mile 25
Amazing guy. I wonder if he'll be buried at Milton's Evergreen Cemetery.
I want to be like him when I reach his age.
Odds are in your favor. (Sorry, too soon?)
In all seriousness, he was amazing. Rest in peace.
Runners run
An inspiration, for sure.
I thought about him on my run yesterday. I found this interview from last year. Reading it makes me laugh aloud at some of the responses, but it also makes me a bit sad knowing there will be no more records from him. http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/setting-a-marathon-record-at-age-85-training-in-a-cemetery-and-20-year-old-racing-shoes-20-questions-with-ed-whitlock
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Heh, he reminds me of me. I'm not a good source of running advice. "What do you do if X is injured?" Uh, I don't know; wait for it to get better? "What's a good diet for runners?" Uh, I eat what I want.
Thanks for the link.
I really like this quote from him at the end of the article.
"EW: I don’t give people advice. I believe everybody has to decide what is best for them. I don’t believe I know what is best for anybody else. I’m not too sure I know what’s good for me, but I certainly don’t know what’s good for anyone else. I’m always willing to talk about what I do. If anybody else is idiot enough to want to do that, that’s fine. But I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody else."
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
Eric Gillis tweeted his 30k training run he did Ed style "This 'plod's for you Ed'.
Ed wanted to really find out how much aging can limit performance, but not just to show it briefly but keep pushing it and keep exploring. What can you achieve in your 60s? What can you achieve in your 70s? Your 80s? And he would have kept it going.
The most significant thing he showed was that you have to earn performance you have to work for it. He would get himself out the door and do another 3 hour run because that's what it would take to achieve that next benchmark. Unless he couldn't get out the door, he would go. That's something too many people want to avoid, looking for shortcuts, looking for quick fixes. They're not there. You go and you train when you'd rather be doing anything else. If you want that reward on race day then this is how it's done.
A most amazing man and I feel lucky to have lined up beside him behind a start line or two.
Very down to earth guy. What surprised me the most was his 20 yo pair of shoes. I did not know that was possible. I thought the rubber would become dry and just crumble apart.
jfa
JimR - Ed wanted to really find out how much aging can limit performance, but not just to show it briefly but keep pushing it and keep exploring. What can you achieve in your 60s? What can you achieve in your 70s? Your 80s? And he would have kept it going.
Wow.
RIP