Join Gar Williams, Tom Osler, Hal Higdon, Bee McLeod and the incoming RRCA President in a discussion about running the RRCA for 50 years. This session will be moderated by Jan Seeley and Rich Benyo of Marathon & Beyond and will be held in memoriam of Ted Corbitt for his years of dedicated service to developing the sport of long distance running.
Speak Bios:Tom Osler is a professor of mathematics at
Rowan University. He received his Ph. D. from the Courant Institute at
New York University in 1970 and is the author of 105 mathematical papers. In addition to teaching university mathematics for the past 47 years, Tom has a passion for long distance running. He has been competing for the past 54 consecutive years. Included in his over 2000 races are wins in three national championships in the late sixties at distances from 25 kilometers to 50 miles. Best running times are: 6 Miles track 30:30 in 1965 and 1967; 10 Miles track 52:40 in 1966; Marathon 2:29:02 at
Boston (18th) in 1967; 50 Miles track 5:49:14 in 1975; 100 Miles track in 16:11:15 in 1978. He is the author of two running books and a member of the Road Runner?s Club of America Hall of Fame.
Hal Higdon has contributed to
Runner's World for longer than any other writer, an article by Hal having appeared in that publication's second issue in 1966. Author of 34 books, including the best-selling
Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, Hal also has written books on many subjects and for different age groups. His children's book,
The Horse That Played Center Field, was made into an animated feature by ABC-TV. He ran eight times in the Olympic Trials and won four world masters championships. One of the founders of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), Higdon also was a finalist in NASA's Journalist-in-Space program to ride the space shuttle. He serves as a training consultant for The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and answers questions online for TrainingPeaks, also providing interactive training programs. At the American Society of Journalist and Author's annual meeting in 2003, the Society gave Higdon its Career Achievement Award, the highest honor given to writer members. An art major at Carleton College, he lately has begun to sell and exhibit his paintings in a Pop Art style. Hal's wife, Rose, hikes, bikes, skis and supports him in his running and writing. They have three children and nine grandchildren.
Gar Williams is a graduate of Augustana College and the University of Chicago, both in Illinois. He spent his career (1963-94) as a research scientist in geohydrology with the U.S. Deptartment of Interior (U.S. Geological Survey). He is a lifelong sports enthusiast and began running in 1954. He was present at the founding meeting of the RRCA and he began his road running administration in 1959. He served as the D.C. Road Runners Club president from 1969-73 and then as RRCA president from 1973-76. Gar was the original author of the RRCA Handbook which was first produced in 1974 and revised several times throughout the years. The current version, 2000, is still in demand. Gar's other hobbies include music and teaching English as a Second Language.
Bee McLeod was elected RRCA President in 2004 and has served two terms in the office. Her term as president will conclude in May 2008. Bee has been instrumental in leading the rebuilding phase of the RRCA as the organization heads into its 50th Anniversary.
With both an undergraduate and MBA from the college of William and Mary, Bee has had over 20 years of work experience in the telecommunications industry with two national organizations. Bee is a 20+ year member of the Tidewater Striders, one of the nations largest running clubs, serving on their Board of Directors for 10 years, including 4 years as President. During her tenure, the club hosted the RRCA Annual Convention in Norfolk, Va. Bee qualified for and ran in the 1988 Olympic Marathon Trails held in Pittsburgh, PA and has completed 56 marathons, including a marathon a month in 2002, and Ironman Lake Placid in 2001.
