Mystic’s own Amby Burfoot, at 80 years old, was ready to make history at the Eversource Hartford Marathon on October 10th, aiming to become the first person ever to run a marathon in an eighth consecutive decade. But a freak accident during a media photo shoot a week before the race just brought that incredible goal to a crashing halt. You gotta be kidding me with this timing.
The Dream and a Legacy That Can’t Be Denied
This wasn’t just any marathon attempt for Burfoot. This was a man who has lived and breathed running for eight decades, since he was 16 years old. He even won the 1968 Boston Marathon while still a college student at Wesleyan, a feat that hadn’t been pulled off by an American since his high school coach, John J. Kelley, in 1957. Talk about a legend! For the past 15 years, his greatest joy has been “being able to run pain-free,” getting out there four to five times a week, putting in 25 to 30 miles “in a good week,” and hitting the gym for cross-training.
He spent “a great summer of training” for Hartford, and this run was deeply personal. He wanted to honor his friend, former Wesleyan roommate, and teammate, Jeff Galloway, the pioneer of the run/walk method who competed in the 1972 Olympics and sadly passed away this past February at 80 years old. Burfoot was even planning to wear a shirt saying “I’m running my eighth decade marathon with Jeff Galloway.” This wasn’t just a record; it was a tribute, a celebration of a lifetime dedication to the sport.
A Single Step on the Sand Changes Everything
Then, disaster struck. Just one week out from the Hartford marathon, during a media photo shoot on a beach in Mystic, it all fell apart. Burfoot, ever the good sport, volunteered to run in the sand to get “a nice photo of water and sand.” And that’s when it happened. He rolled his ankle, straining “unknown additional tissues in the foot.” An X-ray confirmed no broken bones, which is a small mercy, but he’s now on a waitlist for an MRI to figure out the full damage. The immediate consequence, though, is crystal clear: he won’t be running on Saturday.
Burfoot admitted he was “very depressed” and “very embarrassed” about not being able to set this eight-decade record after telling so many people. And honestly, who wouldn’t be? After all that training, all that history, all that dedication, for it to end like this, during a photo shoot? It’s a gut punch. But as he said, “people, especially runners, know that injuries come out of nowhere, and they know I’ve been at it a long time and they know I’ll be back at it.”
So, while he won’t be crossing the finish line himself this year, Amby Burfoot still plans to be at the Eversource Hartford Marathon, cheering on the other runners. He’s already doing physical therapy twice a week in Groton with a therapist who’s a serious marathon runner herself. You know this guy isn’t giving up. He hopes to run the Hartford Marathon next year, and you can bet the entire running community will be rooting for him to finally make that eighth-decade history happen. What an absolute warrior.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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