History Is Being Lost
Something happened recently that made me think about the loss of history. Many of us study history in schools, and while it helps us to understand how we go to where we are, it also leaves some serious holes in what many of us know. Local history is sometimes covered, but usually in a very superficial way. Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series of books on various communities go a long way to making a lot of information available as do local historical societies.
Most of you know that running is a personal passion of mine. Road racing and track and field (athletics in the rest of the world) have a rich and storied history, unfortunately, aside from a very few massively successful events, many struggle to survive year-to-year. If those races or meets cease to be run, their history often disappears with them. Some have a rich enough history to have been captured in some way by the more commercial running publications (Runner's World and Running Times), while others are recorded in regional running publications, but often these publications are not archived in libraries, so unless specialty libraries are created, that information is often at risk of being lost.
It was the recent cancellation of the Midland Run that really hit home. This run had a very storied history, with its director moving on to direct the Chicago Marathon and with its 1980 race regarded as one of the finest road races ever. Its departure removes one of New Jersey's landmark races. I hope an effort is made to preserve the history of this race and to make it available to the public.
At the same time, many of the key people in the development of road racing in the USA are getting to an age where their continued good health can no longer be assumed. Many of the key people in early road racing are in their 60's and 70's, with a few who are older. Most of the racers are now in their 50's. We have a rich history that is, in my opinion largely unrecorded. I am hopeful that some forward looking people will begin to systematically gather much of this information in order to preserve and share it.
Let's resolve to gather and make this information available to those who are students of this wonderful sport.
Most of you know that running is a personal passion of mine. Road racing and track and field (athletics in the rest of the world) have a rich and storied history, unfortunately, aside from a very few massively successful events, many struggle to survive year-to-year. If those races or meets cease to be run, their history often disappears with them. Some have a rich enough history to have been captured in some way by the more commercial running publications (Runner's World and Running Times), while others are recorded in regional running publications, but often these publications are not archived in libraries, so unless specialty libraries are created, that information is often at risk of being lost.
It was the recent cancellation of the Midland Run that really hit home. This run had a very storied history, with its director moving on to direct the Chicago Marathon and with its 1980 race regarded as one of the finest road races ever. Its departure removes one of New Jersey's landmark races. I hope an effort is made to preserve the history of this race and to make it available to the public.
At the same time, many of the key people in the development of road racing in the USA are getting to an age where their continued good health can no longer be assumed. Many of the key people in early road racing are in their 60's and 70's, with a few who are older. Most of the racers are now in their 50's. We have a rich history that is, in my opinion largely unrecorded. I am hopeful that some forward looking people will begin to systematically gather much of this information in order to preserve and share it.
Let's resolve to gather and make this information available to those who are students of this wonderful sport.
posted by Scooter at 2:30 PM
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