Meet the Professor of the Marathon, Sean Hartnett, from Spikes magazine, note by Larry Eder (from the RBR Archives, April 2013)

The Professor of the Marathon: Sean Hartnett,

photo courtesy of Spikes Magazine

Originally run April 29, 2013

Reposted February 15, 2018

I was just in Ras Al Khaimah for the RAK Half Marathon. It is the fastest Half marathon in the world. One of the ways RAK stands out is that they bring in Sean Hartnett and Helmut Winter to help the elite marathoners understand the course and how to run it faster. Sean is an amazing person, I have known him for nearly 20 years, spending nice afternoons at indoor meets in Wisconsin and alway chatting with him about the pacing and character of marathon courses. Haile Gebrselassie gave him the moniker, ‘The Professor of the Marathon.’

The day I arrive at a major marathon and Sean Hartnett is not there, I will be surprised. Sean, a professor of geography and well respected track and cross country coach in the Badger state, is also known around the world as professor Marathon. Having worked with the likes of Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie as well as the World Marathon Majors, Sean Hartnett maybe the biggest marathon geek in the world, and I say that with respect.

Sean knows every hill and decline on a major marathon course. We seldom see the guy in Wisconsin, but more in places like London, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York and perhaps, now, Tokyo.

Here is a well deserved story about Professor Marathon, Sean Hartnett, which appeared in Spikes Magazine today: http://spikes-mag.tumblr.com/post/49183701145/meet-sean-hartnett-professor-marathon

Author

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys.

Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

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