Oct 22, 2007 Karen Blackford - Four Time Free Press Winner By Doug Kurtis

Four time Free Press Marathon winner, Karen Blackford from Ann Arbor is now 57. She ran the Grand Valley and Boston Marathon before tackling the Free Press Marathon in 1979. After taking the advice of coach, Bill Stewart and training with a friend who was also preparing for Detroit she came into the marathon as an unknown quantity (except to Ann Arbor folks).



In her first try she set a course record (2:44.29), winning by more than five minutes on a beautiful day. Her performance was the 34th best time on the world list. “I remember running with joyful abandon, until the last few miles, when I had visions of Thanksgiving dinner going through my head. I guess I should have taken more aid!”

“In 1982 I had a reputation to uphold and won again in 2:45.05 on a hot day. I felt a sense of accomplishment that I could come close to my course record in these conditions.”

On an overcast, foggy day in 1984, it was again her year. She had run the Olympic Trials in May and trained well over the summer. It helped to lower her course record to 2:43.00.

After a slow performance in 1991, she vowed not to come back. But in the spring of 1992, she and her husband Scott Hubbard had separated. To handle the emotional distress she trained hard with a women's running group coached by Bill Stewart that included Ann Boyd, Karen McKeachie, Cindy Keeler, Laurel Park, and others. “I owed this win to their support.” At age 42 it was last win (in 2:2:42:21).


One painful memory came from her 1987 Marathon. “My son was born the previous year and I had sustained a knee injury January, that took until August to heal.
My training base leading up to Detroit was six weeks with just two long runs. I led most of the race when Christine Iwahashi passed me just before the finish line. I didn’t know she was coming. When she did I was exhausted and couldn’t respond. I was happy to finish second and qualify for the 1988 Olympic Trials.”

Over her career, Blackford started 20 marathons and finished 19. Seven of those were in Detroit. “I liked Detroit because it was relatively small and well organized. It was possible to get out fast without being trampled. I also liked sleeping in my own bed the night before. During the years I ran (or worked), Detroit was an excellent local "people's race" -- Every participant was important, and their reputation was not built on importing name talent.”

“The last time I ran Detroit was 1994. Since then, I have read the race coverage each year and wish that I could still compete.”

Blackford began running in 1977, at age 27. She did not have a track/cross country background, being of the pre-Title IX generation of women; rather, she was a running boom recreational runner. “I won my first race, a 5-miler to celebrate National Jogging Day, October 1977. After running for two years, I ran an elite time at the 1979 Free Press marathon, and continued on that performance plateau through the early 1990s.” Her success garnered the Michigan Runner of Year award in 1992 and ’93.

“I enjoyed a relatively long competitive career and was blessed to meet so many good people in the running community. I admire determination in everyone who runs, especially the back-of-pack runners who endure hours longer than I ever did. My hope is that my injuries will resolve, and that I'll be able to participate again in the life I loved. In the meantime, I want to wish good luck to everyone who's running this year's race.”