"All the Fun We Had"

The email’s subject line got my attention: New York Road Runners reunion!

“Were you there when the running boom started?” it read. “Did you run in Central Park in the 70s & 80s?”

My answer was “yes,” so on a Saturday in early September, I showed up at an Irish bar on Third Avenue in Manhattan to mix and mingle with dozens of old running friends. The gathering was well timed, with the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on the horizon, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first five-borough New York City Marathon.

"It Would Be Great to Reconnect"

“All are welcome,” the email read, and the atmosphere was indeed welcoming as longtime members of Central Park Track Club, Millrose AA, Staten Island AC, Westchester Track Club, Brooklyn Road Runners Club, Warren Street Social & Athletic Club, and others (some disbanded but living on in spirit) filled the room.

Not surprisingly, many conversations centered on races and workouts run decades earlier. A few attendees brought printouts of results listings and news clippings—1970s versions of Strava results and social posts.

The gathering was organized by Mike Cleary (above, right), a member of Millrose since 1975 and a former chef, now happily retired in Lenox, Mass. He was delighted to reconnect with teammates and friends and hopes to organize more gatherings in the future.

"I hadn't seen some of the attendees in over 40 years," said Mike, 75. "As running friends have started to pass on, I felt it would be great to reconnect with those who are still here and have the opportunity to spend time together."

Capturing the Past, for the Future

Mike ran the New York City Marathon five times, including a 2:24 finish in 1980, which placed him first among residents of New York City. His friend Gary Corbitt, the son of New York Road Runners founding president Ted Corbitt, helped spread the word about the gathering, though he couldn't attend. Gary manages the Ted Corbitt Archives and is the director of the Road Runners Club: New York Association Oral History Project, an initiative of the Ted Corbitt Institute for Running History Research that has interviewed influential runners and leaders in the sport.

Most attendees at the gathering run less, and slower, today than they did 40 to 50 years ago, and some no longer run at all. Yet they're generally happy and grateful for their current fitness, celebrating what they can do rather than mourning what they can't.

Paul Friedman, 67, who ran 2:16 in the 1980 Boston Marathon, stays fit and mentally upbeat today with daily elliptical workouts. Others cycle, hike, swim, aqua jog, or hit the NordicTrack. Kathy Horton, 77, who ran 2:48 in the 1980 New York City Marathon, adheres to a run/walk routine as she recovers from an 18-month layoff due to a torn meniscus, along with more strength work and stretching than she did in her competitive days.

A Culture of Grit and Determination

Attendees looked back fondly on 1970s and 80s running culture, recalling smaller races and a gritty spirit. “Everyone knew everyone, and everyone trained and raced hard—really hard,” said Kathy.

But they also appreciate today's ease of connection, thanks to apps and social media, which they feel strengthens the running community. “We didn't know anything about each other's training—who was having great workouts, who had an injury. Now it’s all on Strava,” one marveled.

Another recalled the anxiety—bordering on terror—of showing up to races where “everyone had their game face on and no one was smiling.” Today’s focus on celebrating all finishers is a welcome contrast. 

Lives Centered Around Running

For years, Mike ran 20 miles a day. "I worked in Lower Manhattan as a chef and would run the six miles to work. At the end of the shift, I'd run six miles to Central Park and then do a loop and head on home. My life really centered around running."

He raced every weekend, regularly placing in the top three, and was sponsored by Saucony. He won fabulous prizes, including a trip to run the 1981 Sea of Galilee Marathon and a pair of airline tickets to Paris in 1984, where he and his wife celebrated the birth of their second child. Mike stopped running in 2015 and stays fit today with hiking and cycling. 

As the gathering wound down, Mike made a toast: “Let’s always remember all the fun we had.”

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