And if that's not a title that will bore everyone in some way I don't know what is.
I picked up a copy of Marathon & Beyond to read on the plane out to Los Angeles (on which more later) last week. Good magazine.
On the back cover they promise that in next month's issue one of the articles will be "A History of Canadian Marathoning."
First of all, that's funny because Minnesotans find Canada funny, in the way that people jest with their siblings and cousins.
But it's also funny because, frankly, the history of Canadian marathoning is quite undistinguished at the elite level compared to the United States, Britain, Australia, or even New Zealand.
American and British men and women have held the world record, and both nations have won numerous Olympic medals in the marathon. Australia's Olympic marathon history is not as glorious, but Australian men held the world record for 17 straight years (1967-1984). Starting with Lisa Martin, Australian women have won numerous Commonwealth Games marathons, and Martin won Olympic silver.
Two New Zealand men won Olympic bronze (Barry Magee in 1960, Mike Ryan in 1968), and Lorraine Moller won bronze in 1992. And New Zealand men and women have picked up the lower medals in several Commonwealth Games marathons (Ryan in 1966, Foster in 1974, Moller in 1986)
But Canada? I can't remember a Canadian medalling at the Commonwealth Games, let alone the Olympics in the last 30 years. A Canadian won gold in the 1906 Olympics, which aren't generally recognized as counting towards Olympic medal totals. And that seems to be about it.
It's sort of odd because Canada has a pretty good distance running tradition that seems strong today, especially in men's middle distance and the women's 5000m, and Ontario schools seem to supply a lot of good athletes to American colleges.
But no marathon medals it seems. Obviously the history of Canadian marathoning is more than elite performances. However, over the long haul medals reflect depth in a sport. Canada's lack of major championship medals in the marathon seem to indicate that marathoning in Canada is not as strong historically as in its peer countries.
(In case anyone wonders, the Commonwealth Games while not having the depth of the Olympics or World Championships are taken seriously by all the countries involved, including the strong running nations in Africa, such as Kenya and Tanzania, and now South Africa.)
Posted by robe0419 at April 20, 2005 10:28 PM | TrackBackCanadian actually do have something of a marathoning tradition. In fact, the strong marathoning tradition in the United States is in some ways closely linked with the Canadian running tradition. Since its founding Canadians have often won the Boston, America's premier marathon, at times taking a number of the top positions. Interestingly around the years of its founding the Boston marathon way sold to its participants, mainly Irish Americans and Canadians that the event celebrated the trek of so many Irish from Upper Canada(Ontario) to the eastern United States. The story of the Irish migration from Upper Canada to the united states is important to the history of north American running because it was these Irish that fueled much of the pedestrian movement, the precursor to modern distance running. To this day the Hamilton Around the Bay 30k race is used as a prep race for many Boston Marathon participants. The two races are closely linked, Hamilton having been a way point in the Irish migration and the Around the Bay being the oldest north American distance race, predating Boston by a number of years. Simply because Canada has no fielded a top three Olympic marathoner in the last few years does not mean it has no history of marathon success, America has had its dry spells as well.
Sorry, a more edited version of the last comment, one should never underestimate the power of proof reading.
Canadians actually do have something of a marathoning tradition. In fact the strong marathoning tradition in the United States is in many ways closely linked with the Canadian running tradition. Since its founding Canadians have often won the Boston marathon, America's premier marathon, at times taking a number of the top positions. Interestingly around the years of its founding the Boston marathon was sold to its participants, mainly Irish Americans and Canadians that, as a celebration the trek of so many Irish from Upper Canada(Ontario) to the eastern United States. The story of the Irish migration from Upper Canada to the United States is important to the history of North American running because it was these Irish that fueled much of the pedestrian movement, the precursor to modern distance running. To this day the Hamilton Around the Bay 30k race is used as a prep race for many Boston Marathon participants. The two races are closely linked, Hamilton having been a way point in the Irish migration and the Around the Bay being the oldest North American distance race, predating Boston by a number of years. Simply because Canada has not fielded a top three Olympic marathoner in the last few years does not mean it has no history of marathon success, America has had its dry spells as well.
Posted by: Ian at May 26, 2005 02:55 AM