Ted Corbitt
Encyclopedia
Ted Corbitt was an American
long-distance runner and an official of running organizations. Corbitt is often called "the father of long distance running." He was an ultramarathon
pioneer, helping to revive interest in the sport in the United States in the 1960s and 70s. New York Times columnist Robert Lipsyte called Corbitt a "spiritual elder of the modern running clan". In a Runner's World
feature honoring lifetime achievement, writer Gail Kislevitz called Corbitt a "symbol of durability and longevity".
Corbitt also developed standards to accurately measure courses and certify races. The technique involved the use of a calibrated bicycle and was widely adopted worldwide.
. He ran track in high school and at the University of Cincinnati
. Due to the racial discrimination common at the time, he was sometimes banned from track meets when white athletes refused to compete against him. After army service in World War II
, Corbitt earned a graduate degree in physical therapy
from New York University
, where he later lectured. He was a physiotherapist for more than 40 years.
at the 1952 Summer Olympics
in Helsinki
. In January 1954, he won the Philadelphia Marathon
, the first of his four wins there. In May 1954, he won the Yonkers Marathon
, becoming the U.S. National Marathon Champion. At various times, Corbitt held the U.S. track
records for distances of 25 miles, the marathon, 40 miles, 50 miles and 100 miles. He remained a nationally competitive runner well into his fifties.
For many years, Corbitt ran more than 20 miles a day from his home in Yonkers, a New York City suburb, to his office in downtown Manhattan
. On some days, he also ran home. At his peak, Corbitt ran up to 200 miles a week, far more than almost any other distance runner. Corbitt ran most of his miles at a fast pace. One workout he often ran involved 17 miles on the track, followed by 13 miles on roads. One week in 1962, Corbitt ran 300 miles. He then traveled to England and competed in the 54 mile London to Brighton road race
, finishing fourth.
. He was the founder and first president of the Road Runners Club of America
and the founding president of the New York Road Runners
Club. He helped plan the New York City Marathon
course. Corbitt served on various boards and committees for over 50 years. He helped create the masters division for runners over 40.
In the early 1960s, Corbitt led efforts to accurately measure and certify long distance road race courses in the United States. The technique, based on the work of John Jewell of Great Britain
, used a calibrated bicycle wheel in conjunction with a revolution counter. This method
is still used today.
In 1998, Corbitt was among the first five runners to be inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame
. Corbitt was also inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, on its inauguration in April 2006.
In 2003, at 84, Corbitt completed a 24-hour race by walking 68 miles, finishing 17th in a field of 35. Some runners were awed by his presence; others had no idea who he was. At 87, he was still volunteering at ultramarathon races in New York and sometimes even competing. He continued to treat physiotherapy patients. At the time of his death, Corbitt had embarked on a project to walk all the streets of Manhattan.
Corbitt never smoked and his only drink was a single can of beer while in the army. He practiced self-massage, carefully chewed every mouthful of food, and drank lots of water. He died in Houston, Texas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
long-distance runner and an official of running organizations. Corbitt is often called "the father of long distance running." He was an ultramarathon
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
pioneer, helping to revive interest in the sport in the United States in the 1960s and 70s. New York Times columnist Robert Lipsyte called Corbitt a "spiritual elder of the modern running clan". In a Runner's World
Runner's World
Runner's World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
feature honoring lifetime achievement, writer Gail Kislevitz called Corbitt a "symbol of durability and longevity".
Corbitt also developed standards to accurately measure courses and certify races. The technique involved the use of a calibrated bicycle and was widely adopted worldwide.
Personal and professional life
The grandson of slaves, Corbitt was born on a cotton farm near Dunbarton, South CarolinaDunbarton, South Carolina
Dunbarton was a town in Barnwell County, South Carolina, United States. The area was originally settled around 1800. Dunbarton grew after a train stop was built on a new rail line. In 1951, it was acquired by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission as part of a site for the Savannah River Plant...
. He ran track in high school and at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. Due to the racial discrimination common at the time, he was sometimes banned from track meets when white athletes refused to compete against him. After army service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Corbitt earned a graduate degree in physical therapy
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, where he later lectured. He was a physiotherapist for more than 40 years.
Racing and training
Corbitt competed in the MarathonMarathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
. In January 1954, he won the Philadelphia Marathon
Philadelphia Marathon
The Philadelphia Marathon , founded in 1954, is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the third Sunday of November each year. The course is a certified , and is sanctioned by the USA Track & Field.-History:In 2011, two competitors died...
, the first of his four wins there. In May 1954, he won the Yonkers Marathon
Yonkers Marathon
The Yonkers Marathon, held in Yonkers, New York, is the second oldest marathon in the United States, after the Boston Marathon. The course of the Yonkers Marathon is known as being tough and hilly....
, becoming the U.S. National Marathon Champion. At various times, Corbitt held the U.S. track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
records for distances of 25 miles, the marathon, 40 miles, 50 miles and 100 miles. He remained a nationally competitive runner well into his fifties.
For many years, Corbitt ran more than 20 miles a day from his home in Yonkers, a New York City suburb, to his office in downtown Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. On some days, he also ran home. At his peak, Corbitt ran up to 200 miles a week, far more than almost any other distance runner. Corbitt ran most of his miles at a fast pace. One workout he often ran involved 17 miles on the track, followed by 13 miles on roads. One week in 1962, Corbitt ran 300 miles. He then traveled to England and competed in the 54 mile London to Brighton road race
London to Brighton events
The route along the A23 from London to Brighton in south-east England is popular for races, tours, charity rides and rallies...
, finishing fourth.
Other contributions to running
Corbitt served as an unpaid official of many running organizations, including the Amateur Athletic UnionAmateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
. He was the founder and first president of the Road Runners Club of America
Road Runners Club of America
Founded in 1958, the Road Runners Club of America is the oldest and largest distance running organization in the United States with over 1500 running club and event members representing 200,000 individual runners active in their running communities...
and the founding president of the New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners , founded in 1958 with 47 members, has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. NYRR conducts more than 100 events each year, including races, classes, clinics, and lectures...
Club. He helped plan the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
course. Corbitt served on various boards and committees for over 50 years. He helped create the masters division for runners over 40.
In the early 1960s, Corbitt led efforts to accurately measure and certify long distance road race courses in the United States. The technique, based on the work of John Jewell of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, used a calibrated bicycle wheel in conjunction with a revolution counter. This method
Jones Counter
The Jones Counter is a device fitted to the front wheel of a bicycle which counts the revolutions of the wheel. It was invented in 1971 by Alan Jones in order to measure the length of road running race courses. It has gears that drive a mechanical digital counter. Depending on the gear ratio used,...
is still used today.
In 1998, Corbitt was among the first five runners to be inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame
National Distance Running Hall of Fame
The National Distance Running Hall of Fame was established on July 11, 1998, to honor those who have contributed to the sport of distance running...
. Corbitt was also inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame, on its inauguration in April 2006.
In 2003, at 84, Corbitt completed a 24-hour race by walking 68 miles, finishing 17th in a field of 35. Some runners were awed by his presence; others had no idea who he was. At 87, he was still volunteering at ultramarathon races in New York and sometimes even competing. He continued to treat physiotherapy patients. At the time of his death, Corbitt had embarked on a project to walk all the streets of Manhattan.
Corbitt never smoked and his only drink was a single can of beer while in the army. He practiced self-massage, carefully chewed every mouthful of food, and drank lots of water. He died in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
Books
- Corbitt: The Story of Ted Corbitt, Long Distance Runner by John Chodes, Ishi PressIshi PressIshi Press was the world's leading supplier of go books and equipment in the 1990s, and published Go World magazine.Ishi Press was founded in Japan in 1968 by Richard Bozulich. In 1986, it expanded to an office in Mountain View, California under James Connelley...
2010 ISBN 4-87187-315-3