ziik: (First, I hope part of this message doesn't repeat itself .. the computer just cut out on me and lost the first try.)
Got back from vacation with the etended family at Deep Creek Lake, MD, a family tradition for 27 years, on Sunday night -- just in time for the lovely Mrs. ELJ to sprain her chronically weak left ankle. She's about 60 percent better tonight (Wednesday), allowing me to get on-line again.
Dirty South's advice comports pretty well with all I've read and am trying to follow. If your body allows, it's well worth the effort. And of course, if in doubt, check your doctor (don't be like Mrs. ELJ, who'd make a great Christian Scientist where medicine is concerned).
As for track memories, my best ones were in my freshman year, at Univ. of Missouri, before I transferred back home, to GW, in summer 1952. At Mizzou, I got to run the mile against Wes Santee, of whom it may be said that he was Jim Ryun before Jim Ryun came to Kansas.
Santee had a funny running style, at least for those days -- a short, choppy stride that had us all thinking "This guy's gonna die in the third lap." He didn't, of course, and chop-strided his was to a 4:04.3 mile, astonishing for a college kid in 1952. I dogged his heels ... for just under two laps ... and finished gasping for breath in 4:47, having learned something about tactics.
Transferred to GW in '53, and the following year Old Prof joined me in forming a GW men's track team. I'd gotten my time down to 4:38 later in my frosh year, but never even regained that meager form here. But I was able to letter, thanks to sub-par performances by milers from William and Mary and Roanoke College in a triangular meet at Williamsburg. Old Prof was a pretty fair sprinter. We had fun, but the team certainly did not prosper.