TRIVI

JUST ASKING. From the April '88 MR, I listed 10 questions never asked on race-entry forms. The top five from that list still looking to be asked:

1. Do you feel the entry fee is too low/high?

2. Are you sure you want to do this?

3. Alibi time: How bad is your injury or illness and just how under-trained are you?

4. Would you like a head start?

5. Would you run if there were no races?

OLD STUFF. Last issue, readers shared what they recalled about people, events and products from 15 and more years ago. Now, it's my turn. In no particular order:

When the track in MSU's Jenison Fieldhouse was dirt. It was rubberized in the early '70s.

When Yost Fieldhouse at U-M had an indoor track. It's in a nearby facility now without a name.

In 1982, the 100th-fastest men's marathon time in Michigan was 2:41. It's 15 minutes slower now.

Passing of the Saginaw Bay, Breckenridge, West Bloomfield, Greater Grand Rapids and Grand Blanc marathons.

Runner's World published "booklets of the month" on various aspects of the sport in the early '70s.

When Crim was just a 10-mile road race, now expanded to a nine-event "festival."

The NCAA Indoor Track meet was hosted by U-M in Cobo Hall, Joe Louis Arena and Pontiac Silverdome from the mid-'60s to mid-'80s.

The Copper Harbor 50-mile that was found to be short on re- measurement.

West Michigan Running News prospered in the late-'80s.

Bill Stewart of Ann Arbor ran a 4:11 indoor mile in '83 shortly after turning 40.

The Avon International circuit of women's races.

Stroh's-sponsored races including an 8K in '81 where 140,000 raced at sites across the U.S. on one day.

Weight gloves, jogging tramps and gravity-guiding inversion boots.

The first $100 running shoe, the New Balance 990.

Brooks shoes with a varus wedge, also the Chariot that has served millions well.

24-hour relays of 2-10 runners. Just under 300 miles is the record. Holland Tulip Time 20K, a popular May race that yielded many fast times.

The Casio F100 was the first hugely-popular, inexpensive digital watch. (My current watch is an inexpensive Casio.)

John Daly, Borgess Hospital races and PR man, impresario extraordinaire. Ulitmate Hoofer, man of energy and enthusiasm. May he RIP.

Runner's World sponsored "Fun Runs," low-key events held to introduce and promote running nationwide.

Charley Blanchard, entrepreneur and founder of Total Runner.

TACTRUST. To maintain their "amateur" status, runners placed prize money into this account in the early '80s.

Child prodigies Stormi-Ann and Windi-Sue Guntsch of Montrose.

Nike Sock Trainer. First Air Max in '87. Tailwind is first Air shoe in '79.

WMU grad Chantal Maury-Best became darling of LA Marathon with a freeway mural painting.

One-hour runs, three-mile postal competitions.

Ernie Smith, longtime race official and Motor City Striders president.

Pro-Keds, Kangaroo, Converse and Skaja running shoes.

Chronomix timing machine, first device that helped ease burden of timing large numbers of runners.

Detroit Tiger Milt Wilcox opened a running store in Livonia.

The National Running Data Center gathered and tabulated results and helped establish records-keeping standards.

Turntec shoes. They can still be found, but had marke ting and a big following "back in the day."

When Boston Marathon-qualifying standards were 2:50 for men 39 and under, 3:10 for men 40 and up, 3:20 for all women.

The Puma computer shoe.

When Brooks shoes was owned by Wolverine Worldwide in Rockford. When 45 Michigan men ran sub-2:30 marathons in 1983. You can look it up.

The Mid-Michigan Track Club hosted track meets in the late-'60s through early-'70s.

The Racquets Unlimited racing team.

Vermontville hosted a TAC 10-mile Michigan championship in '81. A couple dozen of the state's finest squared of at the semi-remote location. Rosie Ruiz, misguided cheat in '80 Boston Marathon. Sadly, others -- typically men over 40 -- have followed her bad example.

The '74 Glass City Marathon in Toledo had a $3 entry fee and lodging was $2.

Saucony appeared in '74, Nike in stores around '73.

Ed Wiberg of Flint picked up running in his 60s, set a few records and charmed folks with his drive and enthusiasm for life.

Springbank road races in London, Ont., attracted the world's best runners in the '70s.

Canadian Terry Fox, who had lost a leg to cancer, tried to run across his homeland before his illness took him.

Melba Hatch, friendly and fast over-50 runner from Plymouth, set numerous records in the '80s.

The Bay City St. Pat's five-mile was among the first to have a separate and earlier start for women.

Triathlon was born on Oahu in '78. Gaylord's Mark Mellon tri has been held since '80.

Glue guns to repair shoes.

When a section of stands collapsed at the '70 State Class A track meet in Ann Arbor, with me in them.

Masters track competition started by David Pain in the early '70s.

Movies "Chariots of Fire," "Personal Best," "Running," "Running Brave."

In '81, IOC votes to add a women's marathon to the Games!

A Runner's World interview with Mary Decker, age 15, in November '73.

Long Distance Log, published from '58-'75. Carried results from events nationwide with little commentary.

Grandma's Marathon was the first to limit its field size.

Entry fee for the '74 New York City Marathon held in Central Park: $2.

Women's Track & Field World, published from '67 through the early- '80s, carried news that male-dominated T&FN left out.

OLD THINGS. Here and there, I've saved and collected things from the past. Including: a long-sleeved turtleneck with the "turtle" trimmed off for the '73 NCAA cross-country meet in Spokane (it was chilly), a polypro top won at a race in '83, one tee-shirt each from high school and college noting championships won, a tee from the Ultimate Runner competition, a GUTS windbreaker, letter jacket and one team award from college, hundreds of magazines and dozens of books, plus many, many memories hard-earned and priceless.

ANSWER: The Atlantic City Marathon in September 1980 was the first road race to offer prize money. Ron Nabers (2:31:06) and Katie McDonald (3:04:57) each won $15,000. This was in the pre-TACTRUST days, which made the two ineligible to compete in any TAC (now USATF) sanctioned evenTS. MR