1979 Boston Marathon

[Hever73]

What a great race by Bill Rodgers! He's one of the best American runners ever!

[budin8]

I have his biography and if anyone reading this can get it, you will admire Bill Rodgers as much as I do. I also have 3 or 4 more books from him about training.

[kenalmac2]

Rogers is a legend. 30 years ago, I picked up a copy of Runner's World and read a story about his unlikely rise to the pinnacle of road racing. I was 14, a member of a track club, and a pretty decent middle distance runner. A year later, I volunteered at the Toronto Marathon. Rogers blew past us, looking very comfortable, winning in 2:14. At the post-party, he was a true gentlemen, finding the time to offer me a few encouraging words. I still have his autograph in my scrapbook.

[ashland1977]

I wonder if anyone has footage of any marathon from the 70s or 80s coming through ashland or framingham. I havent had much luck finding anything!

[MultiCgp]

Yup, definitely then a great run by Bill..still one of the best road runners in my book..2 yr. later I had the honour of visiting Bill's store & meeting him personally when I finally was able to hook up with a great group to tackle Boston..hard to imagine how he had so much left to blast those last 4 plus miles...for me in 1981 & again the following yr. is where my wheels fell off (so to speak).

[Gynecologist]

@mojomatt176 everything is pointless to a certain degree in life.

[Frisco1965]

Bill Rodgers is the greatest ambassador the sport of running has ever had - a truly inspirational man.

[beatsbooze]

This Guy was my hero in the late 70's into the '80's, when I was out there pounding the asphalt. Just an incredible runner.

[dangulo01]

Awesome.

[jkosmdd]

Bill Rodgers has always been a class act.

[lethalblonde0911]

That's my dad! I'm so proud of him.

[cam8x3]

your dads bill rodgers? haha what??

[rytkonen]

Rodgers is great! 70? top 5: Shorter, Rodgers, Lismont, Thompson, Cierpinski.

[yaknbo]

The Korean kid in 1992 at the Olympics was EPIC.

[assmunch1]

Boston Billy...a really nice guy.

[run3hours]

瀬古が一番強かった時期にボイコットでしたが、１９８４年ロスの­失敗をモスクワでしていた可能性も有ります。真夏のマラソンに備­えて熱い時間帯や場所を選んで練習していたようですが、私にはな­ぜそのような練習を敢えてしたかあまり理解できません。疲労が貯­まるだけ？？？

増田明美陣営もそうでしたね。

[VLombardi01]

amazing time for the weather!

[spokon7]

　I think that a splendid race to stay in the history of Olympics was developed if Bill Rodgers and Toshihiko Seko and Soh brothers appeared in Moscow OLYMPIC of the next year. Because I greeted a peak, as for Seko, Seko should have got the gold medal. There was not the straight victory of Waldemar Cierpinski.　もし、翌年のモスクワオリンピックにビル・ロジャースと瀬古利彦­とSoh兄弟が出ていたならば、オリンピック史に残る素晴らしい­レースが展開されたと思う。瀬古はピークを迎えていたので金メダ­ルは瀬古がゲットしていたはず。チェルピンスキーの連覇は無かっ­たな。

[kingwilson06ad]

I agree... Cierpinski must be so thankful Seko and Rodgers were not in Moscowh

[chrismca]

Or perhps cierpinski is even more thankful to his drug suppliers.

Cierpinski is a disgrace.

[run291]

LOL...nice!

[poiboy1964]

Is Bill wearing gloves or socks on his hands?

[Frisco1965]

He's wearing plain cotton painter's gloves, like you get at the hardware store.

[runtoglory]

I had the pleasure of talking to Bill one-on-one for about 5 minutes at a race expo....what a gentleman....my favourite runner of all time is Boston Billy!

[forbesmh]

Bill Rodgers is one of the nicest guys you EVER want to meet. He's real. Just a normal guy. I loved these Rodgers/Seko battles. Seko won some.

I am from Boston and I can tell you that the Heratbreak Hills are hard to navigate DRIVING. Especially in a snowstorm. Running them is torture.

Rodgers still has a running shop in Copley Square where the finish is now. I pass it mostly everyday.

I can't stress what a great guy Rodgers is.

[fr556]

favorite runners*

[fr556]

Bill Rodgers has to be one of my runners..he makes me proud to be New England runner

[SLFiveMan]

Bill Rodgers was not only a great runner but a great guy too. I've had the pleasure of meeting him several times at runners expos and found him to be warm, affable and truly interested in the pursuits of us recreational runners. I will always remember his reaction when he asked me my goal for Boston that year and I replied "2:55" He was genuinely impressed by a time that would've been a stroll in the park for him. That felt as good as actually running the 2:55.

[russianr0cket08]

Classic race...

[Ulysses61]

Great footage! Bill was my hero as a teenager when this race was run. He started me running and I am still running all these years later!

[tfflyer]

Bill easily won this race in 2:09:27, an American Record in 1979 ... he could have run faster if "pressed" ... the weather was perfect that day and the wind to our back about 20 mph with temps peaking at 40F ... I ran 2:12 something ... the best I could do that day for 4th place overall! Tom Fleming '73 & '74 Boston Runner-up

[juamarti2]

Thank you for adding your comments Tom. I recall you also as a great runner...

[tfflyer]

Thank you ... it was a fun time back in the 70's! I wish you best of luck! TF

[russianr0cket08]

I am honored to find you on youtube Mr. Fleming :)

[tfflyer]

Thanks ... seeing BR this weekend in Boston ... should be exciting and I'm looking forward to visit beantown!

[nextmovebestmove]

@tfflyer And this man is a great runner himself to put it mildly.

[vixvega]

Fantastic footage..... Thank you!!!!

[LorenScott69]

Wow! That got my heart pumping again. I was 15 years old and a high school cross country runner when this happened.  Bill was my hero back then, and I was fortunate enough to be able to meet him at a couple 10k races in Arizona back then. Long live Bill Rodgers! :)

[joeydelight]

I don't believe Rodgers forgot Seko was in the race. He was PISSED about being misquoted in the newspapers beforehand and was ready to run the field into the ground...which he did. You gotta remember, this was the fourth fastest time EVER back in 1979!!! Rodgers is one of the reasons I started running.

[jmplays44]

This is absolutely incredible footage! Thanks for sharing. I was six years old at the time of the running and grew up at the foot of heartbreak hill. I had vivid memories of this race and idolized Bill Rogers as a kid.

[cucu2012]

Bill is the most humble and one of the greatest marathoner ever lived. GREAT GUY!!!

[cucu2012]

are you bill's daughter? you are lucky!!!

[joeydelight]

No kidding? I've interviewed him a few times...GREAT guy!!!!

[joeydelight]

The guy was the best of his time...a livng legend!!!!