Duel in the Sun (Dick Beardsley)
By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist
04/11/2007

Last week at Hanson’s Running shop in Royal Oak, Dick Beardsley was presented as the first in a series of legendary runners that will appear at the store. Dick is one of the best running speakers in the country. He mesmerized the audience with his description of Duel in the Sun, the story and book of his race against Alberto Salazar twenty five years ago at Boston’s Marathon.
Beardsley described how he purposely over hydrated to prepare for the hot weather expected. He recalled turning on the TV at 7 am to listen to Willard Scott of the Today Show describing how the 80 degree temperatures would be ideal for racing. It was obvious that Scott had never run a marathon. Ever notice how TV newscasters always make a joke about running as if it’s not a serious sport?

At the talk, Beardsley brought with him the hat the he wore during the race. He had given it to a small boy that asked for it at the finish line. Years later when Duel in the Sun was published, the boy now thirty some years old, returned the hat complete with all the holes Beardsley had cut into it to make it cooler and the sweat stains that remained on the bill of the cap.

Beardsley shared with the audience how he sat in the back of a station wagon to get to the race surrounded by everyone’s gear bags. This worked well because he didn’t like to socialize before a race. But he also had to put up with the exhaust that was seeping through the back window.

His coach, the legendary Bill Squires managed to find him a place to relax before the race. Squires went knocking on doors in Hopkinton the week prior until he found someone willing to give Beardsley a quiet room to hide out. The only problem was that it was several blocks behind the starting line.

With just a few minutes until race time Beardsley found himself weaving through the mass of runners until someone yelled out that he was coming through and would they let number three pass. When they realized it was Beardsley he said it was as if the Red Sea parted and he managed to get to the front line on time.
When the cannon boomed, the probative favorite, Salazar took off as if he were shot out from it. The first mile went in 4:33. Beardsley described how the pace put him in a panic. It took him another five miles before he started to feel better.
After mile 10 they began running through an area where Salazar grew up. He nudged Beardsley with his elbow then waved at all the people cheering for him. Shortly after Beardsley did the same to Salazar just to harass him back.
Salazar sat on Beardsley shoulder much of the way as Dick tried to wear him down and remove his shadow that loomed in front of him from the blistering sun.
With just one mile to go Beardsley’s hamstring cramped up and he fell behind. Miraculously, he stepped into a pothole in front of the famous Elliot Lounge, which was good thing because it removed the cramp, and gave him the incentive to chase Salazar down.

In the frenzied rush to the finish, Salazar looked back to see Dick reappear behind him. Coming down the final turns several motorcycles were trying to push the crowds of spectators away from the dueling runners but it forced Beardsley to swing wide and almost leap over one of the front tires.

Salazar beat Beardsley by just 2 seconds, one of the closest races ever at Boston. Both runners broke the American record with times of 2:08:52 and 2:08:54 respectively. The cover of Duel in the Sun shows the two with hands raised in victory as the wreath was put on Salazar’s head. Both knew they had created of one of the greatest races in marathon history.