PROFILE: Nancy Ditz has been running for 42 years, including one Olympic team

(July 2021) Nancy Ditz is one of those rare runners who can say that she won her first marathon. In her case, it was the 1982 San Francisco Marathon, where she clocked a strong 2:44:34. Three years later, she ran 2:31:36 at Cal International, and in 1988 she qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in the marathon, finishing 17th in Seoul, South Korea. After 22 years away from running, Ditz started up again in 2014 to enjoy running with her daughter, Emily. Since then, she has tried

PROFILE--Jeannie Rice has been running for 37 (very fast) years

(June 2021) Jeannie Rice, now 73, holds the single-age world record for a marathon by a 71-year-old woman. She set that mark, 3:24:48, at Berlin in 2019, improving by 3 minutes on her 70-year-old time (3:27:50) the previous fall in Chicago. “I’m more competitive than ever,” says Rice, who laughs that she gets faster as she gets older. She also knows there are no short cuts to training and works hard, putting in the weekly miles and the speed workouts to meet her goals. This October's Tokyo Marathon (her 124th overall) is next on her list. It will give her all six of the Abbot World Marathon Majors. Rice, who was born in Korea and came to the states as a 19-year-old, splits her time between Ohio and Florida.

Career-Occupation? I am a semi-retired real estate agent. I like to keep busy and also keep my own schedule so I can get in my training.

When did you start running and why? I started running in the summer of 1983 when I was 35. I had been visiting family in Seoul, Korea, for 3

PROFILE--Don Chaffee has been running for 61 years

Winning Dipsea, 1979

(June, 2021) Don Chaffee has run, biked, and swum in California, Kenya, Uganda, and Michigan. He may be the only person on earth who can claim the following: He has won the Dipsea Race and been congratulated after a Kenyan marathon by the legendary Kip Keino. He has also served as a guide runner for Harry Cordellos, run a 2:43 at Boston, and been competing in triathlons for 30+ years. Chafee, now 81, appreciates Walt Stack’s credo: “Start slow and taper off.” On his current runs and bike rides, he makes sure to “loudly thank whatever deities have blessed me.” That’s never a bad idea.

Career-profession? I spent 50 years trying to inspire college students to think like economists starting with graduate school at the University of California, Davis. Besides Davis, I taught at Middlebury College (undergraduate alma mater); University of South Carolina; Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; San Francisco State University; Golden Gate University; and for the last 24 years of my career, Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

When and why did you start running? In spring 1959, my junior year in college, I began jogging

PROFILE--Rob Hadgraft has been running for 40 years

(May 2021) Rob Hadgraft is a British runner, journalist and book author who has written books about historic runners quite a bit faster than he (Alf Shrubb, Deerfoot, etc). Now 65 and living in Colchester, U.K., he reports that he has a half-marathon best under 1:20 but "never had the patience or aptitude to do well for the full 26.2." Instead, he chose to run 20 to 30 miles a week and enjoy various club and regional races. Like the one where he suited up next to Seb Coe. He'll also happily tell you about the benefits of beer for runners.

Career-occupation? I worked as a news and sports reporter, sub-editor and editor for UK and European regional newspapers and briefly in corporate public relations before turning freelance to write books and features on sports history.

When did you start running and why? It began for me in 1981 when

PROFILE--Hal Goforth has been running for 50+ years

(Apr. 2021) Hal Goforth has a particular fondness for the Boston Marathon, which he has completed 39 times. He set his marathon PR in Boston in 1981 with a 2:28:33. In 1998, when 53.5, he won the 50-59 division. He has also been an eight- time winner of his age-group in the BAA Half Marathon. Now 76, Goforth lives in El Cajon CA, but also spends a month or two each year deep-sea fishing off the Florida Keys. Despite injuries and a heart-valve replacement in recent years, he continues to train regularly with his running partners in San Diego. "Build relationships that will last a lifetime," he says.

Career-profession: I served as a US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Diver (EOD)for 26.5 yrs (i.e., 4.5 yrs active duty and 22 yrs reserves), a Navy Marine Mammal Trainer in Vietnam, and retired as a Navy CAPT. I received a

PROFILE: Frank Bright has been running for 59 years

First race post heart attack

(Apr, 2021) Last November Frank Bright ran a sensational half-marathon--a 1:51 at age 76. But the Shreveport, LA, runner had a few bad races as well in the following weeks. He was puzzled. Then things got worse. In early January, he learned that he had suffered a heart attack, and would need surgery and stents. Okay, you do what you gotta do. By March, Bright was running again, and in April he raced, modestly, in a local 5K. He hopes to be marathoning again later this year. He says running has taught him not to obsess over where you are on the race course ... or the life course. In another mile, or a few more weeks, a dark outlook often looks much brighter.

Career-profession? I spent 6 1/2 years studying Chemical Engineering (B.S. and M.S.), 3 1/2 years working in the field for Dow Chemical in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then turned to law (LSU-Baton Rouge). While in engineering graduate school, I coached the LSU

PROFILE--Bill Rodgers has been running for 57 years, with a few wins and many friends along the way

(Mar., 2021) Bill Rodgers is known around the globe for his many road race and marathon wins during the first running boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and frequent appearances even when he didn't win. Just as important: His affable personality won him many fans throughout his career. He has a wide-eyed charm  and friendliness that made some competitors think him "spacey." They usually finished behind Rodgers in races, where he displayed a razor-sharp focus and determination. He likes to quote himself: "If you want to win a race, you have to go a little berserk." At 73, "Boston Billy" does much of his running with his partner, Karen, and looks forward to entering races again later in the year. He retains both is deep passion for running, and his kid-like appreciation for it. He'll chat with anyone at any race about any topic. He's one of the sport's ultimate champions, on all levels.

Career/Profession? Professional runner, motivational speaker. Prior to that I got my MA in special education at Boston College and taught for three years in the Boston School system.

When did you start running and why? I guess you could say I started running as a kid with my brother and