Bill Rodgers
- By Doug Kurtis

Probably no other American runner has traveled the United States over the last thirty years more than Bill Rodgers. Few other runners have developed his name recognition and none have his patience and charm at autograph sessions.

Winning the Boston and New York Marathons four times each may well be his epitaph but his enthusiasm for racing at each age group level and willingness to encourage so many runners across America is what endears him to all of us in the sport.

I have had the opportunity to share the podium with Bill at several speaking engagements. Here's what he has had to say about his racing career.

"The Boston Marathon is my number one favorite. I love the course and its race history is unmatched by any other marathon." Rodgers has lived in the Boston area since his college days.

"I also loved duking it out over the New York City Marathon, which is a lot like an urban x-country course! I loved racing in Japan, as marathoners are respected the way baseball, basketball, and football players are in the US. Stockholm is my favorite European marathon. I loved the rolling, big bridges, loop course with gigantic cheering crowds."

This year will be the 25th time Rodgers has run the Bix 7 miler in Davenport, Iowa and Odgen 20km in Wheeling, WV. He runs about 25 races a year and has done this for 30 years now. It's amazing that he has remained healthy enough to compete year after year, especially at such a high level of competitiveness.

Rodgers; once thought of as a junk food addict now claims that his diet has improved. "I am no fan of the Atkins diet or any other diet. I am a believer in finding ones own fitness activity and then eating what follows naturally. Every runner and weight lifter knows this. This is every powerful kind of freedom."

His two teenage daughters are good athletes. One is in field hockey and the other in figure skating. He doesn't push them to excel like himself. Instead he takes exception to organized sports for young people that make systemic attempts to turn kids into so-called pro-athletes.

Rodgers views running as a global sport, like soccer, with opportunities to travel available for everyone to enjoy races around the world.   He has met political figures and other sports figures (such as Larry Holmes), but his favorite folks have been writers, artists, doctors and teachers. He recently got engaged to a women he met at a road race. It will be his third attempt at marriage.

"I'm glad to have found running as a lifetime sport and feel so lucky I can make a living as a professional runner. God willing I hope I can run all my life like former Boston Marathon winners Johnny Kelly and Clarence Demar."   After 38 years of running Rodgers went through his first major running injury last year and it has taught him new respect for runners trying to stay fit.

Rodgers has coauthored three books and he also writes an on-line column called "On the Road with Bill" for Running Times magazine.