In his very first marathon, the Boston Marathon in 1973, Bill Rodgers could not finish.
"I dropped out after 21 miles," Rodgers said of the 26.2-mile race. "But the next year, I moved up to 14th."
Then, the world took notice.
Rodgers went on to win both the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon four times each during the late 1970s, and won 21 marathons in his career.
No other runner in history has ever done that.
Today, Rodgers will be at the Corona del Mar High track at 8 a.m., leading a seminar for runners preparing for the Orange County Marathon. Part of his advice will likely be similar to Rodgers' own story — you just can't give up.
"The tricky thing is that when you start getting into competition, the world changes," said Rodgers, who grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Massachusetts. "It's the sticky side of the sport, the nitty-gritty. I've always liked the competition; I wanted to win my races. But even if you're out there for your health and fitness, you can find your niche.
"This sport is limitless … probably this and soccer are the two biggest global sports in the world, I'd say. Just look at participation around the world."
Another one of those participants is Bill Sumner, who is also OC Marathon race director and CdM coach of cross country and track. Both Sumner and Rodgers are 59, and they have raced against each other over the years.
It was Sumner who invited his friend to speak to the race participants.
Rodgers also ran the half-marathon at the inaugural OC Marathon, in 2005.
"For me, I'm looking at one of the greatest runners in U.S. history," Sumner said Thursday night at CdM. "It just happens to be that we're personal friends. I thought, 'Gosh, wouldn't it be fun for my friends, the Orange County runners, to meet this guy?' He's pretty down to earth. I call him the Woody Allen of running."
"But I don't look like him," Rodgers interjects. "And he makes better movies."
Rodgers began running when he was 15. When he was at Wesleyan University, his roommate was 1968 Boston Marathon winner Ambrose Burfoot, which helped motivate him further.
Burfoot went on to become executive editor for "Runner's World" magazine.
But after college, there was a period when Rodgers stopped running. Part of the problem, he said, was that he needed a team.
