By Dave Dyer
ddyer@eagletribune.com
—
There are two things about 56-year-old Reno Stirrat that seem to defy logic.
First, he is not overly interested in individual accomplishments, preferring instead to focus on whatever he can contribute to the success of the Whirlaway Racing Team out of Methuen.
Second, he does not particularly like to run marathons and he considers his best distance to be somewhere between a 10K and a half-marathon.
Both factors make his marathon prowess, which he capped off at the Boston Marathon back in April, all the more remarkable.
Running on his birthday, Stirrat completed the Boston Marathon in 2:42:27 to become the first American to break 2:45 in a marathon in five different decades. The only other runner in the world to accomplish that is Vladimir Kotov, a Russian who is a former Olympian.
Stirrat began his remarkable string in 1979 by running 2:19:17 at the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, Ala. He returned there to run 2:20:49 in 1987 and 2:27:00 in 1993. Shifting to Boston, he was clocked in 2:44:46 in 2007 before completing the decade string this year.
There are six other Americans and 10 others world-wide who have broken three hours for five straight decades, but Stirrat and Kostov are far and away in a class by themselves.
"It's an incredible accomplishment," said Whirlaway coach Dave Kazanjian. "To run that fast at his age is really unbelievable."
A resident of Dorchester, Stirrat hasn't put much focus on his feat and he didn't even give it a thought until a couple of years ago.
"(Runners World writer and former elite runner) Amby Burfoot started looking into it two years ago, at people who had broken three hours for four straight decades," said Stirrat, a star high school runner in New Jersey and later at Iona College. "I was surprised by it.
"To be a member of that group, it changed my whole outlook on the marathon. It had gotten to the point that a marathon was just a long, tough race. I've come to realize that it's special and it's something special to be that good for that long."
Still, Stirrat will usually not compete in more than one marathon in a year and, in the last 31 years, he's only run a total of 26 marathons. He can't even tell you when he'll run his next one.
"I have no idea when I'll run my next one," he says. "My racing is based on doing it for Whirlaway and running for the team, which means mostly a lot of shorter races.
"Whirlaway is the epitome of team running and that really appeals to me. At the same time, we've got a lot of really good older runners and they push you to run harder. It's going to make you a better runner."
Previously a member of the Gate City Striders out of Nashua, Stirrat has been with Whirlaway for three years. He contacted Kazanjian about joining his crew after being impressed with the team camaraderie.
"I remember one year running the Cape Cod Marathon and I saw Dave on his bike throughout the course rooting on his guys, and they had teammates in cars scattered here and there cheering. It was very moving seeing all the support they got and I decided I wanted to be part of it."
Thus, for the moment, Stirrat's focus is on the New England Grand Prix series. A two-time age division winner, he's one of the reasons Whirlaway continues to dominate the masters and seniors division.
On the other hand, in the back of his mind, he is giving some thought to breaking three hours in a sixth decade.
"We've been talking about that," said Stirrat, whose wife Susan is also a member of Whirlaway. "I'll be in my 60s and I'll probably try it. You're going to slow down, it's inevitable, but it's just a matter of how much, and how much you can maintain."
Stirrat will continue to train as he has in the past. He's not sure if it's a secret formula, but it works for him and has obviously contributed to his amazing long span of quality running.
"I run between 70-80 miles a week, but only about 20 races a year," said Stirrat, who won his age group at the recent Mount Washington Road Race with a 1:17:23. "I do a lot of flexibility and core work, like situps and pushups, and I do a lot of intervals on the roads. I believe in quality and distance.
"As far as nutrition, I don't eat a lot of red meat, but I like my sweets and I don't have a very strict diet or anything."
Whatever the formula for Stirrat's longevity, it's working to an astonishing degree.
Double trouble
Not only does the Whirlaway Racing Team have two of the top Seniors runners in the country, but they — Reno Stirrat and Craig Fram of Plaistow, N.H. — have similar looks and are often mistaken for each other.
"People come up to me all the time and ask me, 'Craig, how'd you do,' and Craig's had the same thing happen to him," said Stirrat. "And after the Rhody (5K) this year, Craig and I were talking and these twin girls come up and say, 'We're twins like you.' That was a good one."
Whirlaway coach Dave Kazanjian has certainly noticed the resemblance of his two standouts.
"Reno looks like Craig, he has a build like Craig and he trains hard — probably too hard — like Craig," said Kazanjian. "They're just a lot alike and I'm happy they're both on our team."
Stirrat's decades of marathons
DateMarathonTime
Dec. 15, 1979Rocket City (Ala.)2:19:17
Dec. 12, 1987Rocket City2:20:49
Dec. 11, 1993Rocket City2:27:00
April 16, 2007Boston2:44:46
April 19, 2010Boston2:42:27
Meet Reno Stirrat
Age: 56
Hometown: Dorchester
Profession: Accountant, part-time running coach
Running Club: Whirlaway Racing Team out of Methuen
Running background: All-state high school runner in New Jersey, standout at Iona College, setting freshman 10K record with a 29:52; long-time accomplished runner in New England
Major accomplishment: Has completed a marathon in less than 2:45 for five straight decades.
