One race a week for 50 weeks at 7 minutes per mile at age 64!
In this episode we speak with Bob Anderson photographer, filmmaker and founder of Runner’s World Magazine, My Best Runs and runner-finisher of a grueling year-long race challenge that consisted of one race a week for 50 weeks and averaged under 7 minutes / mile pace at age 64.
Bob started running at age 15 and eventually launched a 1,000 copy magazine that later blossomed into the million-plus subscription periodical known as Runner’s World. But, as successful as Runner’s World became, it was not without a cost which we learn about in this interview.
Bob Anderson founded Runner’s World Magazine in 1968
Bob shares personal ups and downs with running, especially as they relate to his early creation of Runner’s World. We move on to discuss his epic film A Long Run detailing his 50 week race challenge and featuring many of Bob’s running peers including Paula Radcliffe and Bill Rogers; the creation of a new running event called Double Racing; and the development of an informational and interactive website, mybestruns.com which features the best runs from around the world.
A 50 week challenge documented in the film A Long Run
Bob’s passion for running is contagious and, some may even say, a bit fanatical as detailed in the year long 50 week challenge documented in the film A Long Run. His ideas and direct involvement in fitness continue into the current decade where Bob broke into a new race age category. We hope you enjoy our conversation with him.
Questions Bob is asked:
4:39 First Four:
- How old are you?
- Where were you born?
- Where do you live now?
- What is your favorite race distance or type of race?
5:41 What was your best event and best time ever?
6:53 What prompted you to start a magazine for runners in the 1960’s and what was the technology like then?
9:57 When did it become Runner’s World?
10:43 What were the difficulties you ultimately faced with Runner’s World and what were some of the good things that came out of it?
14:50 What was the incentive behind the 50 Race Challenge you documented in the film A Long Run?
17:42 How did you maintain your motivation and how did you manage your recovery?
19:31 Where were these races located?
21:41 Who was Ted Corbitt?
22:28 What was your experience with running the 2013 Boston Marathon with your son?
28:16 What is “Double Racing” and how did you come up with it?
31:42 Where are the Double Races held?
34:29 Where can people learn more about Double Racing?
35:22 What is mybestruns.com?
38:54 What is your current challenge?
40:52 What is UjENA?
43:20 What runners and experiences have had the most impact on you?
48:10 Final Kick Round:
- What is your favorite local training run (location, starting point, parking, distance, terrain and safety issues)?
- Favorite running book(s)?
- Advice for new runners?
- Favorite Quote?
Bob Anderson Quotes:
“Having to stay out of the running business soured me for many years on the sport that I dearly loved.”
“The idea was to set up a challenge that would be able to show me that now you can focus on running and something the average runner could, maybe, not pull off.”
“Everybody feels like a rock star at the Boston Marathon.”
“Double Racing is a tough event. Because it’s so tough, a lot of new runners only do it once.”
“As I’ve gotten older, I do include walking because I’ve found that if I run a race on Sunday, on Monday I feel pretty trashed.”
“To me success is to continue to turn people onto to the activity that I love: Running.”
Take a Listen on Your Next Run
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Mentioned in this podcast:
Run To The Top Winners Circle Facebook Community
Book: The Complete Book of Running – James Fixx
We really hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of Run to the Top with Bob Anderson and host Stephanie Kay Atwood
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