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CLEAR Temp: 90 °F Wind: NW at 10 mph Friday, August 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend August 10, 2003 The 50,000-mile man adds another 26.2 By DON HUNT Mail Tribune CRATER LAKE — Martin Balding wasn’t the least bit happy with his time at the Crater Lake Rim Runs Marathon on Saturday. Balding’s time of 4 hours, 8 minutes and 2 seconds was the worst of his career. And yet no one commanded more respect at this event than Balding, who at 66 was one of the oldest runners in the field. Saturday also marked Balding’s 25th straight appearance in the race. No one else has put together a string that long. Advertisement "If I would have known about this sooner, I would have made all 28 of them," said Balding, who won the 26.2-mile event in 1994 at the age of 57 and also triumphed in ‘79 and ‘87. Balding didn’t start his running career until the age of 28 but has made up for lost time. He has run more than 50 marathons — including Boston three times — and estimates he has put more than 50,000 miles on his time-honored legs. And most of the time, he runs fast. Balding ran a sub three-hour marathon when he was 51. Following his 60th birthday, he covered a 10-kilometer run in less than 40 minutes. And just recently, he ran two miles in less than 12 minutes — just to see if he could do it. "This Crater Lake run is very special to me," Balding said. "I know most of the people in it each year, and it’s such a stunning run. "The scenery is just incredible." The Susanville, Calif., resident thinks he trained too hard leading up to Saturday’s event — he put in a 30-mile run just one week earlier — and that’s what caused him to hit a wall over the final four miles or so. "I’m not sure I would have made it if a guy wouldn’t have handed me some grapes on Grayback hill," Balding said. "I was low on sugar and pretty wobbly. Those grapes were a lifesaver." Someone suggested that Balding probably has more miles on his legs than he has on his car. "Oh no," he said. "Apparently you haven’t seen my car. It’s a ‘65 Ford van, and it’s been around the block a lot more than me." Chances are, Balding will outlast it. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times