(Nov. 2019) Don Kardong should have won the bronze medal in the 1976 Olympic Marathon. He finished fourth that day in Montreal, but winner Waldemar Cierpinski is widely believed to have doped under the state-controlled East German system. No matter. Kardong is not one to cry over spilled milk. He quickly moved on, and had a profound influence over American road racing as director of the famed Bloomsday race in his hometown, Spokane, WA, and as an early advocate for professional road racing. For many years, Kardong, now 70, was also a feature writer at Runner's World magazine, treasured for his sense of humor. Surely you remember, "Without ice cream, there would be chaos and darkness"? And: "Runners like to train 100 miles a week because it's a round number, but I think 88 is a lot rounder."
Career/profession? I moved to Spokane in 1974 to take a job as a sixth grade classroom teacher. After three years I left to open a running store. I sold that
