Summary: Dick Beardsley is a best selling author and champion - in running and in life. He began as a back of pack cross country runner at his high school simply in search of a varsity letterman's jacket and in just a few short years found himself in the Guinness Book of World Records with 13 consecutive marathon PRs. Of these finishes two were in dramatic fashion including finishing the inaugural London Marathon in a 1st place tie with Inge Simonsen holding hands at the finish line as neither man had won a marathon before and the now famous Duel in the Sun with Alberto Salazar at the 1982 Boston Marathon where both men were neck and neck for the final miles resulting in one of the most memorable finishes ever in the marathon. Although his competitive running career as an elite athlete ended in 1988, Dick is still the 3rd fastest American born runner in the marathon distance, running 2:08:53 in the 1982 Boston Marathon. But Dick is more than a running champion - he is a fighter. After a series of near-fatal accidents and a journey of self-discovery, Dick has turned his life around. Today with two knee replacements, he is enjoying his running more than ever and in addition to running he has become an avid cyclist and has added duathlons and triathlons to his lifestyle. In this episode Dick shares his running journey including: The real (and funny) reason he got into running How he progressed from being an average runner to a marathon champion in a few short years The dramatic recount of his 1982 Duel in The Sun with Alberto Salazar How to keep going when your body wants you to stop The importance of mental training in racing Coming back from rock bottom Dick will leave you knowing that anything is possible, despite any roadblocks. With perseverance and courage, you will know that you can take the next step when you don’t think that you can or have it in you. His experiences in life and running will motivate you, bring you to laughter, tears, the pinnacle, the bottom, and back up again. Quick Tip If you are planning on racing later this year and structured training has not yet begun or if you haven't kept up with your running as much as you would have liked over the winter, I'll share what you can be doing now to prepare so you are ready to go when your structured training begins. Links Mentioned in the Show dickbeardsleyfoundation.org - Dick's foundation for healthy active lifestyles and chemical dependency education dickbeardsleyrun.com - Dick Beardsley 1/2 Marathon & 5K in Detroit Lakes, MN Duel In The Sun - Watch the dramatic finish of the 1982 Boston Marathon
