Heart of America Marathon
Labor Day Columbia, Missouri

1988 Report

Perfect weather wlth temperature at 48 to 51 degrees, 100% cloud cover, modest winds out of the north, 96% humidity.

Steve Stonecipher-Fisher won this race in 1980 (2:35:32) and after eight years decided it was time for another go at it. With a modest 50 to 60 mlles a week training regimen S-F wanted a relaxed long workout prior to the St. Louis Marathon and he did run easily the entire dlstance being pressed by Robert Steven Cline and Frank Curotto for only the first mile. Cline now has his third second place finish to go with three third places and one fifth. Cline and Curotto ran together for 24 miles, but just after the 24 mile checkpoint, Cline moved away. Curotto had won this race the last three times he was here ('84, '86 and '87).

Chris Ruble was the first female finisher after being second three other times and not having run this race since 1984.

Lou Fritz ran his 24th consecutive HOA, all but two of them being under three hours (once in the heat of 1970 and the other in 1978 when he was here with an injured thigh) and those were 3:01s. Fritz and Bill Fox hooked up in another of their traditional duels and for the first time (after five tries) Fritz got the edge over Fox in the 40-49 category. However, overall, in 13 matchups Fritz is ahead 7 to 6.

Bob Dolphin won the Dave Schulte Award, his 3:09:31 showing an 18:45% improvement over the 3:52:24 he had in 1983. This at age 59! In fact, two weeks prior to HOA Dolphin ran the Portland Marathon in 3:06 and then a week later came Twin Clties also in 3:06. Dolphin moved to Yakima, Washlngton five years ago and during that time we have been receivlng all these accounts of spectacular performances by him completely unlike his record when here in Columbla. Now with this performance in HOA the legend has been confirmed. He is for real!

Don Johnson set a new standard for age 60 and over, his 3:37:28 shattering Howard Calkin's 4:23:13 from 1982.