John Brant’s thoughful writing style, in his piece, “Why I Still have Faith in Alberto Salazar”, took me back three decades. John and I worked at Runners World during one of the golden ages of running. I was there in 1981 and left in 1987. The staff was an amazing amalgamation of writers, designers, marketing people who had helped make a tiny magazine the most popular global publication in the sport. Bob Anderson was a first class showman, a guy who took what he loved and made it into a multi million dollar business and lead an industry.
Surviving there was brutal. It was a daily example of Darwin’s survival of the fittest, and it was also a highly dysfunctional family. I have to admit that I loved it, after I figured that I could be fired daily. I just decided to take it one day at a time, get my ad production work done, get in 2 runs a day, with my fellow RWers, Tim and Danny Gruber, and try to stay out of trouble. rr
Salazar with Brant, 2012, photo by Runners World
The time at RW changed my life. One of the reasons were people like John Brant and Danny Ferrara. Both fine writers, they allowed me to write goofy little pieces in the regional editions of RW. In the next 3 decades, I developed a media business with my then wife. In my current reincarnation, I publish a blog with my brother, and work in a video development business with my son and his partners.
John Brant is one of the finest writers that has been my pleasure to read. John’s piece on Salazar is not the work of an apologist. Brant has seen Salasar in many times in his life and his comments are honest and considerate. Brant does ask himself if he was snowed. He does not think he was, and neither do I. John Brant, and we have seen each other, mostly in passing at RW booths over the years, is not someone who would give himself an easy out. He was prone to self analysis of his writing and the accuracy of it was well. rr
Brant gets it. He understands what has made Alberto Salazar tick for decades. ? Pay particular attention to the comments by David Frank, a man who coached with Salazar at an Oregon high school.
Agaiin, a nicely done piece and an important read on the relationship of a writer with his subject.
To read the thoughtful piece by John Brant, Why I Still Have Faith in Alberto Salazar, at RW, please go to https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a29573770/john-brant-alberto-salazar-doping/, Why I still have Faith in Alberto Salazar is a must read, for any running aficianado.
