Friday, February 23, 2007

Neil Weygandt - An Enduring Friend and Runner (News of Delaware County)

Here's a great article about Neil Weygandt, an outstanding distance runner whom I met at the 2006 Boston Marathon (he was going for his 40th consecutive Boston!). I didn't realize Neil has been a legend for quite sometime in the marathon and ultra world. He won an NCAA championship in 1960, has won several marathons, and has respectable PR's in the 50-mile (5:51), 100-mile (14:35), 24 Hour (133.8, then a US indoor record), and 6-day (452 miles). Whew!

(Neil Weygant at the 2006 Boston Marathon)

Favorite quotes:
Yet Weygandt recalls the positives: the camaraderie and friendships formed at these races. While daytime could be brutal, he says, he enjoyed the respite from the heat that night running offered.
and

With all that he has accomplished in running, friends never fail to cite his modesty and willingness to support other runners, regardless of speed. "Even when he has been injured," says Ann Warsing, a member of his support team for the Philadelphia to Atlantic City 100k, "he has attended races just to cheer on the runners." Adds Schultz, "Win, lose, or tie, Neil would somehow find a way to congratulate your effort and downplay his."
He was recently awarded the Jack Saint Clair Award, given each year by the Philadelphia Athletic Charities Track Club. Congrats, Neil, and I'll see you at Boston '07!

SD
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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous2/26/2007 06:04:00 PM

    Scott - You added the Napa Marathon. Are you going to be there this weekend? - Angel

    ReplyDelete
  2. Scott Dunlap2/26/2007 06:57:00 PM

    Angel -

    Yes, I'm going to hit Napa this weekend, rain or shine! I'm at the point in my training that I need to do some 25-30 mile long runs, so I might as well sign up and race.

    Let's try and get a pic! Just let me know where you're going to be.

    SD

    ReplyDelete
  3. DPMcManus3/02/2007 11:06:00 AM

    Hello Scott,

    Thanks for posting my article about Neil! He's certainly accomplished a lot as a runner, and I hope he stays healthy and keeps on running for a long time to come!

    Just one correction of something I wrote in the article: I mentioned 1998 as the year of the indoor 24 hour race. Somehow mistyped (1998 on my mind, maybe). Should have been 1982. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with how the article turned out.

    Good running to you and all your readers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3/19/2007 12:30:00 PM

    Scott

    Great article on Neil Weygandt. He is an enduring friend. I call him friend although I can only remember 2 conversations with him and both were about 25 years ago. We both ran the 1981 Valley Stream 50 miler and the 1982 Philadelphia to Atlantic City 60 miler. During Phila-AC we ran together during most of the middle of the race and spoke of things from wives to the young guy who was setting a blistering pace up ahead of us. I found him to be the unassuming and friendly person you described.
    He was a very good ultrarunner but his 40 straight Bostons is an almost unbelievable accomplishment.
    Thanks for bringing back fond memories of my friend from long ago.

    Don Marvel

    ReplyDelete

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