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HAL HIGDON, Senior Writer for Runner's World, was among the ten men who met at New York's Paramount Hotel in 1958 and founded the Road Runners Club of America. A six-time Olympic Trials participant, Higdon placed fifth in the 3000 meter steeplechase in 1960 and fifth in the 1964 Boston Marathon, running 2:21:55. He is a training consultant for the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and also coaches online through his Virtual Training, available through www.chicagomarathon.com and his own website: www.halhigdon.com. As a master, Higdon has set numerous American records, track and road, at one time owning 24 marks. He also set world records in the steeplechase for the 40-44 and 45-49 age groups of 9:18.6 and 9:39.0. A quarter century later, those marks remain American records. Higdon is better known for his writing than his running. His articles have appeared in Reader's Digest, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Travel and Leisure and Air & Space Smithsonian. In 1986, Higdon was a finalist in NASA's Journalist-in-Space program, to ride the space shuttle. His 31 books range from "The Business Healers" to "The Crime of the Century" to a children's book, "The Horse That Played Center Field" (made into a TV movie). His running books include: "Run Fast" and "Marathon: the Ultimate Training Guide." Higdon lectures often on the race circuit and serves as consultant for the Chicago Marathon. In the 1960's, he coached at Chicago's Mount Carmel High School, developing a runner who won city mile and cross-country titles. Most recently, he coached at Elston High School in Michigan City, Indiana, directing his girls's team to fifth place at the state cross-country championships in 1992. The following year, Elston won the state title.
Many thanks to the following members of the RRCA's Coaching Committee who contributed to this booklet with the knowledge from their years of distance running coaching expertise: Roy Benson John Chaplin Jerry Crocket John Gallager Ed Hetkowski Hal Higdon Diane Palmason Andy Palmer Carl Sniffen Cathie Twomey-Bellamy |
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