R.I.P. Grete The Great

It was w/ great sadness I read online this morning that one of the all time greats of women's running Norway's Grete Waitz had passed away.
Long b4 "Girl Power" had been dreamt up Grete was a pioneer of that movement, w/ a list of accomplishments as long as your arm it's near impossible to know in which order to place them,the 9 New York City marathons,her 5 World cross country golds being the first women to win a World Championship marathon or her silver the following year in Los Angeles at the first women's Olympic marathon where it took the great Joan Benoit to deny her back to back golds at Worlds and the Olympics.

But it was a race she ran long after her career was over that will probably cement her reputation,in 1992 she ran the New York City marathon w/ race director Fred Lebow to celebrate his 60th b'day,her 5.32.35 was a far cry from her pr set in London 6 years earlier 2.24.54. but it summed up "Grete The Great" w/ her career highlights the stuff dreams are made of she could've been forgiven for running a time twice as slow of that in her prime but showing not only the grace of a true champion but the heart of one also she returned the favour to her good friend Fred Lebow who had invited her to run her first ever marathon there in 1978 when she smashed the then world record by 2 minutes.
New York has never forgotten Grete Weitz and each year holds a half marathon in her honour"Grete's Great Gallop" you know you've done something right when you get a race named after you but for New York to honour a runner from Norway speaks volumes of the universal love the world felt for her,the running world is a sadder place w/out her in it,her memory and legacy will live on forever,I doubt very much we'll ever see another 9 time winner of the New York City marathon.

I'm sure there were days Grete didn't feel like training but you don't build a resume like hers by blowing off training so dispite the rain this afternoon I got out there for my easy 10 miler,I won't be winning 9 New York Marathons or 5 World Cross Country c'ships but if I want to make the podium at Worlds and Nationals it's rain be damned and get out there.
Took it nice and easy{69 mins} I'm going to need all my strength tomorrow for my repeats w/ Nick,we're talking about 6x600m which is a beast workout to begin w/ but running them w/ a 1.56 800m guy,it's either gonna be awesome or a train wreck,stop back to find out which!