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Kevin Kille: Great to read you memoirs, I finished 2nd behind you at the Tewskbury invitational cross country race in 1973. I won it in 1974.I finished 3rd in the Lowell marathon in 1977, I think that Vin Fleming won it.

I also ran at Case Western University, in Ohio at the Nationals in Cross Country in the snow storm, didn’t Humbolt win it? Friends told me you drove around Boston Beeping your horn after your 3rd at Boston. I’m proud to say I made your acquaintance,

Jeff Edmonds: Dear Hodgie-san, I’m just another runner who likes to feel the wind on his face. I thought I’d write because I’ve always enjoyed your comments on letsrun and your dharma-bums approach to running.

I’ve got one of those silly runner-blogs where I try to link up distance running and philosophy, and instead of bumping that thread that calls Mr. Squires an ego-maniac, I recently wrote a small piece on Coach Squires. I never met the man, so I was wondering if my take on him was right. http://thelogicoflongdistance.blogspot.com/2011/04/gilmore-and-squires.html

I guess I also see you as a fellow traveler, so I thought I’d introduce the blog to you anyhow.

Steve Davis: Hello Hodgie, .I sure hope this email is still active. I just stumbled upon the website bunnhill.com. Let me”jog” your memory. You taught me how to “re-sole” running shoes at the Runnery. I think I was the next hire after you. I bumped into you I believe near the finish line for the 100th , I use to work the medical tent, but have since not done that in about 5 yrs.

I have been curious as to if Sharpless and Steve are still around, okay hell for that matter are they still alive. Would love to re-connect with them. Hope you are well and if this gets to you, I would really appreciate it if you could respond. Be well

Charlie Spedding:Yes, I remember you from my days in Boston, although I think you are right that we never raced each other. I have often looked at your website, and particularly enjoyed reading other people’s training – especially Greg Meyer’s times on the Pump House Hill which I mention in my book. So I would be happy for you to include my Appendix on your site.

I am very pleased that you enjoyed it, and delighted that you want to include it in your bibliography page. It is very gratifying when I get compliments about the book from people who have been very good runners themselves.

Jessica Minty: I recently found the training log that you’ve posted online from Bill Rodger’s year surrounding Boston. Thank you so much for taking the time to transcribe that! It is so fantastic and full of character! Please do keep posting more of his work. I take such inspiration from him. He’s an incredible guy.

Peter Ross Range: Many thanks, Bob. Great to hear a voice from the Good Old Days of running in Boston — at least that’s how I remember them. And many many thanks for this PDF (3.53 mb download) from Boston magazine. I don’t think I have a copy in my files. I’ll try to find and scan the Playboy piece I did on Bill and send it to you (it also ran in Reader’s Digest, shorter). Failing that, I can make a copy and mail it to you if you provide a mailing address.

Ken Halla: I just saw your webpage. Not that you are much older than I (now 45), but I remember in college knowing about you and how great it was to get to know and race you later on when I moved to Boston. I hope all is well. I am still teaching high schoolers during the academic year and college kids in the summers. I have twin girls who are 7 and a son who is 5 and live in Northern Virginia. I still love running, but don’t do it nearly as much as I’d like due to many aches and pains (but I can swim a mile free style now!)._ KenHalla

Lorraine Moller: Dear Hodgie-san, good to see you too. I have lots of fond memories of the whole Boston NB gang, so it was a delight to stumble upon you all at the old Elliot (stumble as in it was so dark in there!). Thanks for writing to tell me you enjoyed my book. Much appreciated, and I very much value your opinion. I will be honored to be mentioned in your bibliography. No plans to go the trials but you never know. My next gig is at at my old stomping ground of Grandmas in a few weeks. I am sure I will see you soon, you know how it goes, after 20 years suddenly three times in a row.

Nick Stanko: Thanks for compiling the information on your website. It is a great inspiration to have. I hope to one day get close to the level you competed at in your late 20’s and early 30’s. Our progression of times is very similar, and almost scary similar in high school. http://nicholasstanko.com/timeprogressions.html Any words of wisdom?

Gary McNamee: Hello Mr Hodge, My name is Gary McNamee. I live and run out of the Boston area. I’ve visited your website many times now. It’s terrific and has been a great source of inspiration for me. I was wondering if by chance you had any pics from way back when of Dick Mahoney. He worked with my Dad and provided me with advice and help with my running back in the late 70’s. Now, these many years later, I’ve asked him once again for help in prep for Boston ’07. To my suprise, he’s graciously agreed. I am pretty excited and humbled. I was hoping to find some pics for something I’m working on for him. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Jin Edwards: Hey Bill, Was watching the Falmouth Road Race last Sunday and you ran right passed me…It brought back memories of bygone years, despite the fact that you were tearing up the pavement that morning at a rather impressive rate.

I have a place in Green Harbor and am a friend of Jack McDonald who was the instigator, I believe of the Gurnet Classic Beach Run. Anyway I ran in that race a bunch of times..not in any serious way, but just to participate. We still live in the house on the beach and Jack McD gave me this picture a number of years ago and it hangs in my living room till this day. And it impresses me still that such a fine bunch of runners and cool dudes ,would come together for such an event…the intervening years seem to have smudged some of the simple lines we had drawn out for ourselves…But that just seems to be the way it goes .races such as the Classic are just a memory,…and life gets a bit more complicated at each turn on the course.

However, I just wanted to take a minute and send you this photo and tell you that many people in Green Harbor,as in many other ports of call, remember you with fondness and with great pride. And to think of you and your friends tearing down the beach together at the front of the pack is a memory that will live with for us for a lifetime.

Thanks for providing that memory and for the life you have invested in the sport and for the inspiration you have given to so many to improve their quality of life by running and oftentimes running hard to be even in your shadow

Peace, good to see you in Falmouth.

Ruben Sanca: Dear Mr. Bob Hodge, I am a freshman distance runner at Umass-Lowell and I have always heard of you in the past about your running career. I just want to thank you for posting your information on your website which is very interesting to read.

Donald Reardon: Stumbled onto your website quite by accident. What a trip down memory lane for a fan! I live in Portland, Oregon now, but grew up in Hanover, Mass. You were a great inspiration to me.. My abilities were just revealing themselves at Hanover Junior High School when you were sniffing shoe glue in the basement of the Runnery. Knowing that a world class runner was living and training in my hometown taught me that good training could be done anywhere. I used to see you in the basement cobbling shoes, but I never had the courage to ask for training advice.

It’s too bad, I ran 14:36 for Hanover’s 3 mile course in 1983 as a high school senior. Parents and and old teachers from the town remind me (even today) that it’s unusual for even the best local high schoolers to come within a minute of my standard. It seems like there were so many good runners in Massachusetts in the 70’s and early 80’s.

There were amazing guys from small towns no one ever heard of, that ran really, really fast in cross country. Many never translated their successes on the trails to the track, but I still remember them. They disappeared after high school like ghosts. I’m one of them, actually.

When I arrived at Marist College in ’84, I was pleased to see you and Vinnie Flemming (whom I later worked with at New Balance) held the home course record at Marist in Poughkeepsie. Marist had just joined Division 1 a few years earlier, so the big div 3 invitational went away, but I did finally break your record in a time trial. So even away from Hanover I was still chasing Hodgie. After college with a gig at the New Balance Factory Outlet store, (another coincidence) I trained a bit. Unable to make any kind of break through, I showed up at Hingham’s 4.8 mile July 4th road race in 1990. Greg Meyer set a standard there of 22:06 back in his prime. I decided that if I could ever break his record, despite the obscurity of this local race, that it would satisfy any questions I had about my own potential — and that I would never run a step again. I ran 22:05 in 95 degree heat. I have not run a step since. Not even to catch a bus. I have scarcely thought about running over the past 15 years. It too, disappeared from my consciousness like a ghost.

Thanks for the great site. It’s a fun look back. I think there’s a book in all of this. A volume is needed today, to explain to young runners why you guys were so great with so little to work with. I think a history of your era — the training methods, the commitment, the sacrifice, the mentality, is meaningful. At the very top of the game there are some good guys out there racing today, but the depth that existed in the late 70’s and 80’s in America is just not there. I think the title should be “Why We Were Great.”

I used to work in Asia. One of my colleagues was Kevin Ryan of New Zealand. He still has all his old training logs. I was utterly shocked to see the kind of miles he logged back in the day. You guys were amazing athletes.

Greg Lautenslager: Good hearing from you and that are enjoying my novel. Please feel free to mention it to your friends and place a notice on your website, which I found very interesting. Lots of good memories there.

We grew up in a great era of running and I miss the great times of running and training in Wellesley. I still am in touch with my dear friends Ron Gillooly, Tommy Ratcliffe, and Ken Halla. One of the greatest times was the New Year’s Day run from the Nike Wellesley Store to the Eliot. Some years I wouldn’t arrive back at my apartment until a day or two later. I remember you doing the New Year’s Day Run from Hopkinton to the Eliot. Even I thought that was a little crazy.

I keep bumping into Pfitzy all over New Zealand, including about 11 p.m. last Saturday in Christchurch. I see more of him New Zealand than I did in New England.

I am enjoying the Kiwi life and some great runs through the mountain trails that line the top of the South Island. My wife, Debbie, was a former New Zealand 5,000 and 10,000 runner. We have three sons, ages 12, 10, and 7. My oldest Craig says he wants to be a great runner. Wonder where he ever got that idea?

Please keep me informed of what’s going on in Hodgie’s life. Or better yet, I will keep reading your website.

Marty Dalton: I’ve came to be a huge fan of Squires, Rodgers, etc. I love the Speed with Endurance book, and am hoping the running store I work at part time will bring him in for a speaking engagement, if they can contact the agent involved, etc.Is there any where else I can read up on his, yours, all approach? Thanks for all the information. Keep it up!

Anthony Horton: As a runner of 27 years who is always trying to improve, despite the age of 42, the best piece of advice I’ve ever received was from your website: “let the tempo come to you”. Wiser words have never been spoken in the world of distance running. Blessings on you and yours.

Jim Reardon: I think Tsige Abebe may not be at the address listed on http://www.bunnhill.com/BobHodge/bibliography.htm#Triumph any more–I tried to order her book about her father Abebe Bikila from that address and my letter was return unopened and stamped “return to sender–not deliverable as addressed–unable to forward”. When I do a websearch on “Tsige Abebe” I find a bar called Bar de la Channe in Switzerland that was founded in 2003 so maybe she moved to Switzerland. Thank you very much for putting up your wonderful site. It is inspiring and I tell the runners I coach that they should go look at it so they can get inspired too. Best of luck with your current endeavors,

John Fendrich: I have enjoyed reading it and your posts on Letsrun.com. Your recall of past races is amazing -as were some the perfomances too.

My question is about your Sept 1972 High school cross country races . I see you ran 14:33 on the 2.7-2.8mile Bishop Fenwick “cross country course” (all streets). Was that a fast pace for you or were you just cruising.? The reason I ask is that I am a Fenwick alum class of ’82. and when I ran the course in 1981 your time was in the top ten . The record is 13:53 by John Childs who was Div V champ in cross country in 1975. When I ran 14:03 and saw that it was faster than Bob Hodge from Lowell I asked Coach Dimaiti – “is that the guy from the Boston Marathon ?” and He said yes., Which completely amazed me. Injuries limited my Sr yr and I wondered if I could have approached your high school times.

I find myself now trying to to get back into some kind of running shape after a 20 yr layoff . Very difficult. Good luck on your upcoming birthday mile.

Tim Sullivan: I am enoying your site immensely; always impressive to read about you and your peers. I grew up on Boston’s North Shore (Hamilton) and began running with my Dad as he took up the sport. I ran some of the same races as you in 1977 (age 11) and your log helped me fill in what were previously some fuzzy dates (Heartbreak Hill 10M). Mt. Washington of 1977 was the last race I ran with my dad, as he had a heart attack on a training run preparing for NYC that fall.

I noticed you ran the Silver Lake Dodge Marathon in 1977; that was my Dad’s first marathon and I recall his description of the snowstorm. I also remember him telling me he had to wait at a railroad crossing for a passing train. Do you have any special recollections of that race, the weather, etc. or even how that race came about and what became of it?

António Cabral: Excuse me my poor english. I´m very busy at the moment but i don´t want to lose this opportunity to thanks you – nothing in special – but a “little bit” of each your running details, your posts, your comments.

Only now, I realise that you are younger than me (but not too much…L.O.L), because in my memories I remember you since a long ago…you are famous in some sophisticate runners in my country – famous as Tom Fleming or Frank Shorter or Bill Rodgers – the main reason that´s because you did a so large participation in road races mainly, and that you devote to road runs that made you quite famous in my country in the seventies – when road runs that it starts to be quite popular: few names we never forget: Colombian Victor Mora is one of them. Carlos Lopes that are another ones.

My running story is also a road running devoted story, but with more success than you in the tracks – I did 3:39,8 in 1975 (Portuguese rec. at that time) but soon I did a very serious injury (sciatic) and when I come back in the late 70´s I did decide to run for my passion road runs. That my decision did trouble a lot of people and coaches indeed but I did my path – road runs exclusively from short road runs 5kilos to half marathons.

With 18 years old I did a marathon run with no specific plan and I did 2:39, and later 2:32. When I decide my third rebirth as a master runner I try the marathon 5 years ago. I did 2.39 once again, that´s quite similar to my marathon debut, that´s similar to your sub 5:00 in the mile after the fifties. But with 50 years old I have no more courage to have a try…but let´s see…L.O.L.

2 more comments, One is that (with no offence) when I see your past pics while running you remembers me that you are from Mexico, I don´t know why. Eventually I did saw a quite similar face in a Mexican that is in my subconscious…I don´t know, but that you have a very original face for a typical American that you have ! Last comment is that if you did end serious competition in 1988 – you did lost some years – that I think you should have keep on with road competition.

PS – I will try my best to post next Norporth training. People underestimate the lessons of top coaches that were/are icons as Lydiard. He is a guide and a lesson of life and coaching more than any 100miles advise detail. Keep on going, and let me know how if on the next year summer you will be able to run in a sub 5:00. ! L.O.L

Wayne Stocker: Just wanted to thank you for a great job at the Lydiard event last night. I enjoyed seeing Mr. Lydiard and listening to your comments during the presentation. Keep up the great work on the website and thanks for a job well done, I pop in regularly to see what’s new.

Renato Canova: Dear Bob, I send you the training of Rodgers Rop in Kenya till Lisbon. Regarding the last 3 weeks before Boston, I decide day by day, because now he is in Turin together with other runners, that run Marathon in the same days (not only Boston, like Makori, but also Turin like Frederick Cherono and some new guy, or Lisbon).

I had here also some other marathon runner (Robert Cheruiyot in Paris, Steven Cheptot in Rotterdam and John Birgen also for Rotterdam), plus some lady (see the debut of Selina Kosgei in Paris).

Normally, I’m not able to join directly the programs of the athletes to letsrun, but if someone can do it, I can send thru e-mail more infos to him, for sharing with the readers.

I’ve some problem regarding training of Shaheen, Paul Kosgei and others, because on 31st of January, in Nairobi Airport, a thief pinched me my bag with the old computer, inside I had all the programs of the athletes. Now I have a new one, and I’m trying to rebuild more is possible, using old floppies (but I had also many floppies in the bag that the thief pinched me).

So, as I want to show only what the athletes REALLY DID, I use their personal diary for writing their training (that normally is 20-30% different from the programs that I give them), when I meet them in Italy or Kenya. Paul Kosgei, now in Kenya again, come back to Europe for running 10 km in Dongio on 11th of April, then stays in my house together with John Korir (and probably Shaheen), when Rop, Makori and the marathon runners of 18/19th already ran their race.

If you can post for me this training, I thank you.

 Renato Canova: Hi Bob, have seen some of your posts on letsrun and finally visited your site this morning. The old stuff is great! A few days ago, I tried to put up some pics of BR on letsrun but had trouble. Anyway, in looking for these photos, I came across a pic of you walking away from the 1980 Scituate 10k awards with your plate. My note on the back said you won in 30:17. Also, I have a pic of Gary Wallace and Dickie Mahoney at Falmouth, along with a number of other guys, including, Lindsay (we called him the “terminator”) just ahead of you and Rojas.

Bob Wischnia: hodgie–i periodically return to your site for inspiration………usually right before a marathon…..i’m running motorola in three weeks and i always get some insight from here…………..although when i read some of the training logs (like meyer’s), it’s what NOT to do. anyway: someone out here in cyberspace is reading this…..me.

Tracy Horton: You are indeed the master. I am a runner of 25 years and I am now 40 years old. In November of 2003 I qualified to run Boston and will toe the line in April on the 19th. My focus is to build the mileage and let the tempo come to me with a few races thrown in for “fitness tests”. Thank you for a great website that brings back great memories of what US running used to be.

Brian Curran: Dear Bob: My brother Stephen Curran used to work at the Runnery in Plymouth years ago. It was quite a place between Sharpless and Caulder. Trips to the Hanover store could find you downstairs chatting with runners while Caulder usually had a comment or joke ready for his customers. Thanks for the website. Brings back great memories.

Andy Yelenak: Bob, Great site! I’ve added a link to your site from our links page and from our “Vintage Photos” section http://www.runningpast.com/photos.htm Hope you don’t mind. I finished a few hours behind you in Boston ’79, my first marathon.

Mario Fraioli: Bob, I just wanted to drop you an email informing you that my teammates and I here at Stonehill College are instituting our own “Summer of Malmo ’03” this summer. 4 of us are living on campus for the summer to train together and on Sundays we get most of the guys on the team down here for our long run, and afterwards we barbeque. Our aim is to qualify for Div II nationals this coming fall in cross country and I liked the idea of “The Summer of Malmo” that I read about on your website; hence, I made it our unofficial summer motto. Thanks for posting a wonderful website… it has proven entertaining as well as a great guide for my own training!

PS. If you would ever like to join us for one of our Sunday BBQ’s, let me know. Take care..

Charlie Bruno: Hi Bob, I came across you website and am in awe of your accomplishments after you left Johnson & Wales. Its been almost 30 years, I don’t know if you remember me… we ran at J&W in 1973-74… for Coach Dugan… we trained the summer of 73 in Camp Varnum in Rhode Island.

Michael Weinholt: Dear Mr. Hodge,I remember watching you take 3rd in the ’79 XC Nationals in Raleigh when the GBTC won the team race. It was cold and rainy-nasty that day. I had driven down from Baltimore with some Towson State University teammates and we saw you guys later at Two Guy’s Restaurant on Hillsborough Street. That was my favorite pizza place in Raleigh after I transferred to NC State. I remember you and Greg Meyer and the rest of the GBTC eating together at one table while Alberto Salazar and Bill Squires sat apart at another table.

I grew up in Baltimore and ran the old Marathon Marathon (the Satyr Hill course, not the wimpy thing they run now) twice in high school – best time 2:53 at age 19. I spent 3 years in Eugene and was in the best shape of my life there in ’87-’88, running a PR of 27:00 for 8K on the roads before injuries ended my running at age 27. I used to attend the Eugene Emeralds minor league baseball games and would often see Art Boileau in the stands, eating a hotdog and drinking a beer. I once met Matt Centrowitz and Steve Plascencia at a pub named Rennie’s Landing in Eugene. I was sitting there wearing a singlet from the West Virginia Distance Classic “A Salute to Pre” race and Matt told me he was one of Pre’s pallbearers and wanted to buy me

a beer in exchange for the singlet. I told him if he knew Pre I’d buy them a beer and he could have the singlet, which I did.

Anyway, I enjoy your site and reading about the heyday of US distance running.

The “O” Tom Doherty: Hodgie: There was no mention of the “Hodgie” dance anywhere? Although the log does in deed show the hard work it takes to run sub 2:15 marathons. The training back then was different (longer, harder) as can be seen by the results, especially with you.

The competition between all your teammates at GBTC was riveting and cordial as we all had the same goal in mind – Beat the Foreigners!!! Tell Gary I said hello ! Happy trails

Richard Clark: Bob, your website brings back many memories of people and races from the past. The running logs should be reviewed by all runners to show what a hard training schedule was really like. Remember you are always invited to the Sugarloaf 10 miler in Amherst, Mass.The 2003 race is Feb 23rd, your course record still stands on this tough course.

Keith Dowling: Bob, This is Keith Dowling. I ran 2:13.28 at Boston this year and would like to thank you for your site. It’s hard to find (detailed) information on the old school greats from the ’70’ and 80’s and the information you provide is extremely beneficial. Thanks for helping me make my first Boston a great experience. Keep up the inspiring work!

Thomas R. McArdle: Just took some time to really read through your site. It sounds like Boston was the place to be back in the late 70s and early 80s. I wish that was still the case today. I like training in Boston for most of the year (jan and feb not great). The only problem is that there are not enough trails within running distance. However, running does not get any better than the Lincoln woods. Thought your training looks a lot like what I do. It was interesting how few quality sessions you put in leading up to your marathon PR. It was mostly mileage and races. It gives me faith that I am doing the right thing up here in Hanover. Anyways just wanted to say I really enjoyed your site, it is ridiculous that so many fellow American distance runners are not willing to share their training methods with other people. We should all be in together. Best of luck with everything and thanks for the emails.

John Rupp: Hi Bob, Thanks for your great web site. It is great and I like it very much. I remember your running in the 70s/80s and find your comments and training to be very interesting. A question — can you tell me what 3 or 4 miles of striders means? Thank you and best wishes with your continued endeavors.

Dick Quax: Dear Bob- What a delight to come across your website! Just looking through and seeing all those blokes who have commented was great. Nobby bobbed up again I see. He has to be the world’s ichi-ban cheerleader for Lydiardism. Like me, he believes that it is still the best method of training. Unfortunately, in New Zealand most young kids (and their ill informed coaches) think it is outdated. I like to point out to them that Peter Snell using this method ran 1:44.3 for 800m on a grass track in 1962 and only John Walker (also trained in the Lydiard method) amongst NZers came close to that. Considering human physiology hasn’t changed significantly since we began walking upright it beats me that someone could suggest that a training method successfully employed by so many over a long period of time should suddenly become redundant.

Matt Gabrielson: I am 23 years old. I have become passionate about my running in the last year, more so than ever before. On Dec. 28 I was struck by a car while running in Knoxville, TN. Thankfully, nothing serious happened minus being unconscious for 4 minutes, 7 staples in my head, and a scraped back. Plus, I was a bit sore for a 9 days. I had a 9 day lay-off in the first part of the year. During this time, I realized that I love running. I love it for many reasons, which hopefully we can discuss in the future. I am also a part of Team USA Minnesota and am always checking your logs over the years for advice. Thank you for putting those up there. It makes it easy for guys like me – trying to reach their full potential – to look at stuff others before us have done and realize what it actually takes.

So with that, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind answering a few of my questions; questions that I am always seeking advice on, but often see humorous, discouraging answers to appearing in magazines, on message boards, etc. So I am going straight to a source; someone whom I admire as a runner. I did not run cross (country) in high school. I was actually an above average defensive back on the football team. So I realized I had some potential in track running 1:54, 4:18 and 9:21 off of ten miles a week. In college I peaked out my senior year ’99-’00 at 75 during cross and 60 during track and managed a 4:01 relay, 8:06 3k, 8:56 steeple, 3:46 1500, and 14:18 5k. The thing I regret most was that the summer after I ran those times (2000), I pretty much thought I was retired from running. I got lazy. I did my student teaching during the fall of 2000 and ran maybe 1 or 2 times a week (if that) with a couple 40 mile weeks in November. Finally, I made a New Years resolution ( if you will) in 2001 and started running again eventually consitently doing 60 and 70 mile weeks. I applied for the Team USA Minnesota thing and luckily was accepted. SO I have been able to up the mileage to a consistent 80-100 miles a week this past fall and winter.

What I am seeking here is simple advice. What do you think about pace and things on runs? Do you employ a go as you feel attitude and if you feel like you can run 6 min pace you do, or if you feel 7 min is all you can do, you do it? Or what if you feel like running 7:30s? Or did you always try to run a certain pace? I guess why I ask this is because I simply just want to know. Did you always throw in some sort of strides afterwards? What about weight training? It seems even if I do the light weight, high rep thing, I still am a little bulky. I would say I am 5’11”-6′ tall and weigh between 145-150 sometimes less than 145. Would you think something like dips, pushups, pull-ups, running curls, and some more ab stuff twice a week is sufficient. I do abs every day as well? What about nutrition? I often feel that I am making improvements in this area, but am always seeking advice. What do you think is most important in this regard? Finally, do you think if I stay consistent with it that I will be able to reach faster times? I realize that it may take years, but I always think back to that 4-5 month lay-off and wonder what-if. Is consistency gonna be the key?

I surely hope I am not bombarding you with too many questions. However, after reading your web-site for a long time, it seems like you’re the type of person who would gladly offer advice. I hope to keep in touch with you and thank you for listening to someone trying to become decent in the sport. 

Don Ricciato: Bob, I could not wait to visit your web site when Lloyd Thayer told me about it . It brought back wonderful memories of the “glory days” of the GBTC (See Boston Globe Article). Those were special days, especially the training runs from BC with all the boys. Thanks for bringing back the memories and I hope our paths will cross some day soon.

Nobby Hashizume: Hodgie-san (I believe this is “Mr.” in Japanese?): Hello. My name is Nobuya “Nobby” Hashizume. You can ask coach Squires about me. I’ve become good friends with him in the last couple of years and have visited him a couple of times. A great guy…Anyways, a friend of mine suggested to check out your website. Read it with great interest. I’m so glad that you recommend Lydiard. I have been a Lydiard disciple for over 20 years. In fact, I even went to New Zealand to stay at his place for 12 months in 1984, went back to Japan (yes, you might have guessed it but I’m Japanese) to become a professional running coach for Hitachi under the influence of coach Nakamura. I’ve been in the US for 11 years now and am finally starting my running career (unfortunately not as a runner….).

I have brought Lydiard to the US in 1999 and became the last person to get Arthur and the late Bill Bowerman together. I am trying to bring him back again hopefully next year. In conjunction with it, I’m writing a couple of articles about Lydiard and the Lydiardism for a couple of magazines (Marathon & Beyond and Running Times). I will send you a script of RT.

I would very very much like to be acquainted with you through internet and as well hopefully someday in person (I’m planning on going to the Boston marathon for business)…. I’ve got some “stuff” that you would be very interested in. Along with a program aired in NZ on Lydiard in 1991, I’ve got “Running is Your Life”–story of Lasse Viren training for Moscow Olympics, among others. I can also send you training log of Toshihiko Seko (in 1977 before his 5th place finish at Fukuoka) and Inubushi’s training leading up to his 2:06 in 1999.

 Nobby Hashizume: Hodgie-san: Good to hear from you. Yes, I would LOVE to see exactly what Rodgers was doing. Just quickly, I’m sending you training log from: Seko, Inubushi, Bordin (1988 Olympic champ), and Lopes (sorry, haven’t gotten it yet – B.H.). Or at least I’ll try. Couldn’t do it this morning.

I’m glad you got to see Arthur in 1999. That’s the one Bob Sevene organized (in Boston) and Squires gave the opening remark, right? That’s the one I arranged. And I am trying to bring him again for more of a mini-camp, not just a couple of hours of talk. Let’s keep in touch! And when you talk to coach Squires, please say hi for me.

 Don “Spiney” Norman: Hey. When you going to update this stuff, the women will be running 2:10 by the time you get to 1988.I want to read this site while I got my sight. I heard Hawk went to get a vasectomy and the Dr. said with a face like that you don’t need one. I took Hawk to the zoo In Pittsburgh and the zoo keeper thanked me for returning him. I heard Hawk tried to pick up a hooker and the hooker took one look at hawk and said, not on the first date.

Geoff Pietsch: Just discovered your website. It’s good! I’m a very peripheral acquaintance – I was a 42 year old Masters runner in Miami in early ’80 when you and Tom Fleming lived in the house off Sunset Drive in South Miami. It was a very tough time for you guys – with the Olympic boycott announced – but I really enjoyed the training runs with you guys. And they helped me win Gasparilla masters that year. It puzzles me that there are a good many very solid U.S. 5K and 10K runners these days, but so very few decent marathoners. Not only are guys of the caliber of you and Tom and BR almost totally lacking, but there are very few of the fair-to-middling caliber (low 2:20s-low 2:30s) of me and my friends. I don’t understand why. In ’77 one of my friends, Pat Chmiel, won the first Orange Bowl marathon. Afterwards a reporter for the Miami Herald asked him why he ran his 100+ mile weeks, why he did all that training. His answer: “It satisfies me.” I think that was true for you guys; I know it was true for me and my friends. We just loved to run and to try to run fast – and to do it with others who shared our passion.

Pete Rodrigues: Dear Bob, Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I enjoy your website. I’ve been njured (or recovering) from November knee surgery and reading about your races has kept me sane when I can’t run. Especially since I recognize a lot of the places having run at Tufts. thanks and I hope it gets updated soon.

Mike O’Brien: Hodgie-san, I just got off your web page. Great stuff. I think you are on your way to getting published. Maybe I’ll even learn how to get faster !

Chris Lear: Bob, I think it’s great (despite no mention of Running with the Buffaloes in the bibliography:) I’ve linked your page from my training log section on www.runwiththebuffs.com and you’ll be pleased to know that I’m waiting for someone out there in internet land to finish transcribing Greg Meyer’s logs. He just e-mailed me on Monday to say he is 3/4 of the way through the task,so hopefully I’ll get it back and on the page soon.

John O’Mara: Bob: Great web site. thoroughly interesting to see the development of a young grasshopper into master. Especially like the training. Keep it coming.

Bob Wischnia: hi hodgie. amby forward your website address to me and been checking it out. really love it. very fun. especially like your training diaries from late 70s GBTC thomas-mahoney-fleming-BR days..though would have loved to have seen pace, courses, etc. great stuff though. i’m still constantly pushing my old 50 yr old self and holding onto what little speed i had. unlike everyone else, i haven’t slowed down. was never much faster than 6:20-6:30 pace to begin with so didn’t have far to fall. now if i can only keep my body together for anojther coulple of weeks (austin marathon), i’ll be a happy camper. anyway…enjoyed the heck out of it. are you still the second most famous native son of lowell? man if you would have stuck w/reebok you would be a millionaire now. wish

Jack Fultz: Hodgie, Excellent web site. I’m enjoying reading a lot of the tales of yesteryear. BTW, do you have the results from that ’77 Freedom Trail Race? I just beat Charlie McGuire but I can’ t remember where I finished? I’ll keep reading the stuff. Lets get together sometime and catch up -maybe a run and a brew.

Mike Platt: Bob, Great site.You were and are an inspiration to many runners. I bop around on the running sites because I am more a fan of the sport than a competitor, these days, but, years ago when I first found running at 20 years of age I did not ahve a high school coach. I lived in NY and researched all I could of guys like you and Pfitzinger, Dillon, BR and others. You guys were inspirational and I learned most of what I know about this sport just by watching and listening. What I achieved by using those lessons still blows me away. Nothing at your level but, still much beyond my original ideas of what I could do. I have been at a few events that you were at but never had the nerve to speak with you back in those days. Well thanks for the site and I think that having the old guard talk about what they did will help all the young runners, particularly with the internet (what an asset!!) “Those who know history are doomed to repeat it!” (I changed it, but in this case it fits) Ps. That was a nice section that concerned your family.

Bob Tate: Thanks for linking to your atavistic endeavor. Great stuff there. It’s quite remarkable to me that no one has hired you as a coach. You seem a natural to me. It’s a pleasure reading you on mervs, truly. It isn’t just that for someone who is such an accomplished runner you are classy, self-effacing and modes t(notwithstanding a record of achievement that dwarfs those of some of our chest thumpers.) It’s that for anyone, you are classy, self-effacing and modest.Best to you and your family.

Jon Berit: Bob, I ran that one! I was a freshman at Providence College at the time. I think I ran 3:05 or something like that and the BAA would not let me in Boston because they felt that a blizzard would not add 5 minutes to a time.

Pete Pfitzinger: Hodgie-san, You were better looking in 1975.

Paul Pilkington: Bob, I’m enjoying your web site, very good stuff. I’m looking forward to the rest.

William J. Bowerman: Ko-neech-eee-wah, Hodgie-san, Great to see the e-mail and website. I have often wondered what current day U.S. distance runners would think about my own training, as I believe it is far different that what they do. Your documentation of your training is a great idea and I will be interested to see how closely it paralleled my own in those days .. in principle, mostly, not in mileage, etc. I do still have my diaries from about 1970 to the end in 1984. Yes, I too find great memories when I flip through the pages … Nagoya in about 82 or 83 being one of them.

You are dead-on citing Lydiard, a great coach and teacher .. who by the way was very much a mentor for another pretty good coach …

Tom Derederian: Thank you. I will spread the word. Many of the younger GBTC boyz could do with reading your page.

Sharpless: Had nice time reading your journal, couldn’t help but laugh at many of the lighter moments. I’ll back you if you can get a patent on those fancy tee shirts you were wearing. (See also picture in Franklin Mint Almanac article. – ed.) You always were a slave to fashion. Keep writing it’s good reading and I will pass it along.