The running community remembers Marvel-ous Don Marvel
The running community lost a great icon this week, as Easton runner Don Marvel, 73, passed away from cancer. Don competed in several Seashore Striders events at the beach and events I directed over the years in Easton, Oxford, St. Michaels, Preston and Federalsburg, Md., which I always told him were in his neck of the woods.
In the past five years, Don’s running had slowed a bit, and he did more of the shorter 5K events than the ultras, halfs and full marathons he enjoyed doing in his prime. Don even made the run from Easton to Salisbury on more than one occasion.
Don coached my friend Matt Dunn. Don basically took Matt from a decent high school and recreational runner to a competitive runner who has competed in triathlons, marathons and half marathons, to name a few.
“I was always competitive, but coach Marvel took me to the next level of racing,” said Dunn, who ran the Boston Marathon under coach Marvel’s training in 3:00:18 in 2011. “Coach Marvel designed a marathon training plan for me to qualify, and I raced Rehoboth in 3:09:26 and that is where I qualified. He was a huge part of my running and racing.”
Don Marvel was a high school history teacher who retired in 1999, the same year Dunn graduated from high school.
Marvel is an ultra-running legend, winning or finishing in the top two in races of 50 miles, 100 kilometers (62 miles), 100 miles and 24-hour running events. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Marvel’s name sat at or near the top of ultra marathons across the country.
In 1980, he placed second overall in the New York 100-Miler in a time of 13 hours, 36 minutes, 35 seconds. At the time, it was the fifth fastest time ever run by an American in a 100-mile race.
Marvel won the timed Columbia 24-hour run back-to-back years in 1981-82. The goal is to see how many miles you can run in a 24-hour period. In the 1982 race, he ran 124 miles, coming back to win the race after amassing 100 miles two hours behind the front-runner. In 1981, the race was less contentious, with Marvel running 132 miles for the win in South Carolina.
In 1982, Marvel ran the 60 miles between Philadelphia and Atlantic City faster than anyone else, taking the win and setting the course record in 7:28:09. In 1978, he got lost on the JFK 50-mile course, running an extra mile out of the way, and still placed sixth overall. Marvel’s best finish at the JFK, the nation’s largest and oldest ultra marathon, held around Hagerstown, was third overall in 1981, with a time of 6:22:04.
1981 was a banner year for Marvel. He logged 6,752 miles for the year. If you ran from New York City to Los Angeles, and then back to New York, you would have covered 5,650 miles. Don was ranked sixth in the All-Time U.S. 100-mile rankings that year.
If you asked him what motivated him to run these harrowing distances, Marvel replied that his marathon personal record of 2:39 was too slow to be competitive. Why not just keep running?
Don once showed up for one of the Hurlock races I directed, and when I arrived at 6 a.m. for the 9 a.m. event, there was Don standing at the start.
I drove up, “What are you doing, Don?” I asked. “I know you set these courses up by yourself and most runners have no idea what a race director does before they arrive, so I am here to help you,” said Don. That is just the person Don Marvel was. I can guarantee you it won’t take long for Don to be on the starting line for the Heaven Ultra 50K! RIP, buddy.
Dam Mill Hall of Fame
This Saturday will mark the 32nd annual Dam Mill 5K Run going off from Cupola Park in Millsboro at 7:30 a.m. Race-day registration will begin at 6 a.m. with awards going to the top three finishers in five-year age groups. The course is one of the flattest and fastest courses in the state with only four turns on the course. The highlight of the morning will be the induction of the Dam Mill Hall of Fame, which began at the 20th annual event back in 2003.
Upcoming races
Saturday, Aug. 1 - 32nd Dam Mill 5K Run, Cupola Park, Millsboro, 7:30 a.m., seashorestriders.com.
Sunday, Aug. 2 - 14th Northbeach College Day 5K, Northbeach, Dewey Beach, 8 a.m., races2run.com.
Sunday, Aug. 2 - Inaugural Athletes To End Alzheimer’s 5K, Bethany Beach, 7:30 a.m., focusmultisports.com.
