8/2/92:
August begins with another run. The “Sea Isle Ten,” once the “Sea Isle Half a Marathon” and also called the “Beach Run.” The 22nd running. I ran the early years, 70 through 77, but then missed a few. Frank Allen has made them all – as noted by the local press last year. This year he just made it. He and I walked together from his in-law’s home on 37th Street. Carole, Audrey and Ted were busy at a swim meet. The Sea Isle run was three weeks early, so it kept his support group away. We arrived on the Promenade (once called the Boardwalk, but now it’s paved, so it’s a “Promenade”) about 5:15pm as the mob mushed its way on the 10 foot wide walk back behind the starting rope. We stood on the Promenade in front of the place where the McSorley Mansion once stood. The McSorley House was razed in 1990 and it is now a beautiful new twin facing the ocean.
I was edgy. I could not stop thinking about the loss of energy I felt in the five mile run just a week before. It was, I knew, the result of a virus that waylaid me for six days just a week before then. Being “edgy” or “nervous” is not unusual anytime you compete, but it was stronger than usual. I enjoyed Frank’s comment, “Just shows you’re alive.” While all this was passing through my mind and being interrupted by hellos to old acquaintances, the run began. You could tell because a yell went up and we could see some 10 to 15 yards ahead the heads were moving off down the Promenade. The first half mile was spent avoiding being stepped on or stepping on someone else, watching for holes in the Promenade and benches popping up along the sides. As I went under the Starting Banner I started my watch. I later learned that it had taken me about 45 seconds from the time the race began until I reached the “starting” line.
The crowd began to open up around 29th Street as we left the Promenade and went onto the beach. I noted at the first mile I’m running around an 8:30. It isn’t long before I realize my nervousness about maintaining a pace was well founded. At three miles I feel the sensation of overall loss of energy and begin the debate within myself as to whether to stop at five (the starting line). I resolve that by postponing the decision and when I get to the starting line the crowds, the surface, all induce me to persevere and just slow down. I do so, even without willing it. I make it, but did walk in the ninth mile from around 64th Street to 57th Street. My time was 90 minutes, but I felt little or no exhaustion at the finish and recovered rapidly. So, as we “young” runners are apt to say, there’s always another day and another run (hopefully).
8/8/92:
Back in one of the earlier runs in Sea Isle we had an incident involving my friend and fellow runner, Bill King. I enjoy recalling it was in the early 70s and Bill remembers either visiting or staying at Win and Paul’s home (the old bakery) on 45th Street.
The race then called the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Run was run on the Boardwalk and out Landis Avenue (the main street) towards Corson’s Inlet and then back towards Townsend’s Inlet and then back to the center of Sea Isle City. We were en route back from Townsend’s Inlet the last 2 miles or so of the run. Bill was in 11th place when (as reported to me later) an automobile nearly ran over the runner ahead of him. (Traffic control was not in effect in those days. Running had not the audience it now has). The runner, whose name I never did hear, remonstrated in a verbal fashion to the occupants of the car. They, three or four hopped-up-hoods, who upon being castigated, pulled over and as the runner approached, pummelled him to the earth. They then took off in haste. Fortunately, some citizen got the license number and the police were soon in pursuit. We later learned the State Police stopped them somewhere on the Garden State Parkway and they were arrested for possession of illegal substances and DUI.
Meanwhile, back in Sea Isle City, the poor guy who was thrashed had obviously finished his run for the day – allowing our good friend Bill to step into l0th place and a medal. As you can imagine, Bill received some sly comments about “What some guys won’t do to finish in the money!”
Bill still denies that he had in any way retained the hoodlums to knock off his opposition. I believe him! – But knowing how competitive he was and is, there are those who had doubts and wonder if he could have gone that far.