Rod De Haven Takes Sixth at Boston
Best American Male Marathone Perfromance Since 1994!
Larry Eder
May 2, 2001
Madison, Wisconsin
American Track & Field
Whether on the cross country course, road or track, Rod DeHaven has been one of the best Americans for nearly a decade. Now, DeHaven has made it, with his sixth at Boston, to the Big Times.
Rod De Haven Runs His Race
Boston, MA.
As the 105th Boston Marathon unfolded, we, the media, watched the race from the Press room at the Copley Plaza Hotel. The Press room has two large ten to twelve foot screens, one the right side the room and one on the left side of the room, with mileage update boards seperating the TV screens from each other, giving the press a chance to watch both the womens' and mens' race unfold.
As the mens' race unfolded, we could see the orange FILA uniform of Josh Cox, the young American who ran 2.13.58 at La Salle Banks Chicago this past year. But, I was looking for someone else...that other American, Rod De Haven.
I do admit that I have an affinity for Mr. De Haven, as he is from my adopted hometown of Madison, WI. I like his self depricating sense of humor, and his work ethic. Most of all, I respect his work ethic and his ability to challenge himself.
Rod De Haven has been an elite American distance runner for almost a decade now. In 1998, after running well at 15k, 20k and half marathon distances, Rod ran a 2.13.02 at La Salle Banks.
Rod was raised in South Dakota, and graduated from South Dakota State in 1987 with a personal best of 3:41.49. By 1990, he was moving up, running a 10,000 in 28:38.23. Rod debuted at the Twin Cities Marathon in 1994 with a 2.14.48.
It takes time for most to develop as a distance runner, but Rod was developing a reputation for fast times, and deliberate training, as his 28:06.52 on the track attests.
The road to world class is quite another thing. A distance runner must put it all on the line, and sometimes the races go well, sometimes, they just do not. After De Haven's 1998 Chicago race, he focused on Boston, and after running strong for 20 miles, cramped and slogged it in 2.19.
I remember seeing him after the race in the Copley--Rod was dissappointed and wasn't interested in running another marathon.. but he ran Seville, and negative splitted a 2.19 there in 90 degree temperatures, taking 11th in a field where many of the major studs retired from the competition.
Rod De Haven then took the Fall and Winter of 99 and 2000 to build up for the U.S. Olympic Trials. He showed his fitness in March of 2000 with a fine 28.17 for 10,000 on the track at Stanford, winning that race.
The Olympic Trials was Rod's coming out party. Running a perfect race, Rod made his move after 22 miles and ran a hot, humid 2:15, and due to the Olympic standards, and some politics, was the only U.S. male representative at the marathon.
Yin and Yang. Good races and Bad races. Rod trained well for Sydney. He ran the 10,000 in the Olympic Trials and placed a well run 9th.
In Sydney, Rod picked up food poisoning about 48 hours before the marathon, and set a world record for bathroom stops during a 2:31 marathon.
Yin and Yang. Rod took some time to figure out what he wanted to do. By January 01 the training was going well, those two a day runs, 120 miles a week, a fast session, maybe an indoor track race, but focus, focus, focus--that is what the great ones do.
Rod's race at Boston 2001 was the race of a world class athlete. From the TV, we never saw Rod in the top ten, he was always lurking close, but saving energy for the real race.
The real race starts about 21 miles, when the pretenders get thrown off the back of the pack, and the little chinks in an athlete's armor make the hills of Boston tougher than they need to be. If a runner still has his or her legs, the last five miles of the race can be a place where the runner picks up places and really improves on the time.
The facts are that Rod De Haven not only took sixth in a tough marathon on a tough day, but also ran a personal best. Consider this fact: the top two runners were about two minutes off their personal bests, due to the toughness of the course, and toughness of the conditions, and you will gain even more respect for Rod De Haven's performance.
The race results were all over the three network stations in Madison. So was the nice race by Mark Coogan, a Madison resident who was third American.
What will Rod run next? That is up to him--the 10,000 on the track, or perhaps another marathon--we sure hope that he stays around, because a 2.09 would sure look nice on his resume, but sixth at Boston, to paraphrase a few, can never be taken away!