The 70+ showdown in Rotterdam
Connoisseurs of marathon races, and there are such people, rank Rotterdam in the world's top ten. The post-race relaxation opportunities allowed by Holland's liberal society have nothing to do with this. No, Rotterdam is loved because the course is flat and fast. Last year, Felix Limo won the men's event in a splendid 2 hours and 6 minutes. Phew! This year's race promises to be even more memorable as it's the 25th anniversary Rotterdam Marathon. And it will feature the eagerly-awaited duel between Ed Whitlock and Joop Ruter.
Ed who? Joop who? These are not household names but they are famous because Ed Whitlock in 73 and Joop Ruter is 71. That they are running marathons at their age is remarkable enough, but it's the times they finish in that has people talking. Whitlock ran the Toronto Waterfront Marathon last September in 2 hours, 54 minutes and 49 seconds, while Ruter ran 3 hours, 2 minutes and 49 seconds last year in Rotterdam.
In a fascinating article in today's New York Times (registration required), Marc Bloom notes that among the United States' 400,000 marathon finishers in 2003, some 500 were 70 or older, compared with about 100 a decade ago. "For many of the active elderly, 70 may be the new 50," he writes, and quotes Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, a cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, who found that a group of people with an average age of 70 who had started exercising in midlife — as Whitlock did at 41 — and kept it up had "hearts indistinguishable from healthy 30-year-olds."
Ruter, who took up running at 51 has run 11 marathons. After his 3:02:49 time last year, he celebrated by drinking and dancing in a pub. "I will run against Whitlock as though I am a youngster," he said. "I will give him the race of his life." Marvellous.
Time to put on those running shoes.
