A race of the octogenerians has developed for Saturday’s Cowtown Marathon.
In one corner, at 87, is Don McNelly from Rochester, N.Y. With more than 700 marathons, he has been running for almost 40 years.
In the other corner, at 80 years old, is Gene Brock from Arlington. He has 30 years of running experience, and the advantage of being the race’s hometown favorite.
Cowtown organizers created a new 80-and-up age group for the two runners. Because McNelly and Brock are the only two entrants, only one will go home with the 80-plus medal.
After finding out about another octogenarian in the race, McNelly did little to fan the competitive fire.
“I think he [Brock] will beat me,” McNelly said. “In Austin last week, no one else was in their 80s. A lot of times, I’m the only one in my age group.”
Of course, Brock and McNelly might not cross paths in a marathon field of several hundred runners, let alone sprint side-by-side in the final 400 meters. Three weeks ago, Brock figured he would be the only runner in his age group.
“I can’t believe that [McNelly] is running at 87,” Brock said. “I’ll try to make it a point to meet him. Between the two of us, that’s a lot of miles.”
McNelly and Brock hope to finish in less than six hours. McNelly finished in 5:30:33 at the Austin Marathon last weekend.
Cowtown will be McNelly’s 733rd race of marathon length or longer. His total is good for No. 3 in North America, and it comes to 18 races a year since he took up running in 1969.
“I began running because a couple of people I knew that were my age had heart attacks and died,” McNelly said. “It was right before the beginning of the exercise boom when I started my routine.”
McNelly’s first marathon was Boston in 1969, the final year runners could participate without posting qualifying times. He’s run Cowtown eight times, mainly on the old course that went through the Stockyards.
McNelly likes to swing through Texas in February for the Austin Marathon, and then stop by Dallas to visit Dr. Kenneth Cooper for a physical at the Cooper Aerobics Center.
Brock took up running when he was 50, and through the years his marathons have included New York, Boston and Honolulu. He ran in one of the first Cowtowns, and thinks this year’s race might be his last.
“Distance races are hard on the body,” Brock said. “But I enjoy the Cowtown, the festivities are a lot of fun. The only issue for me is finding a place for my wife to stay while she waits for me.”
Brock and McNelly said there was little secret to their athletic longevity.
“People ought to do something to stay active,” McNelly said. “They can run, or walk. I don’t think it makes much of a difference so long as you’re doing something.”
By the numbers
167 Combined age of Cowtown Marathon entrants Don McNelly and Gene Brock, equal to the number of years that has passed since the city of Dallas was founded
60,000 Miles that McNelly estimates that he has run in 40 years
210 Brock’s weight when he took up running at 50
145 Brock’s weight now
THE COWTOWN 7:30 A.M. SATURDAY, SUNDANCE SQUARE
A race of the octogenerians has developed for Saturday’s Cowtown Marathon.
In one corner, at 87, is Don McNelly from Rochester, N.Y. With more than 700 marathons, he has been running for almost 40 years.
In the other corner, at 80 years old, is Gene Brock from Arlington. He has 30 years of running experience, and the advantage of being the race’s hometown favorite.
Cowtown organizers created a new 80-and-up age group for the two runners. Because McNelly and Brock are the only two entrants, only one will go home with the 80-plus medal.
After finding out about another octogenarian in the race, McNelly did little to fan the competitive fire.
“I think he [Brock] will beat me,” McNelly said. “In Austin last week, no one else was in their 80s. A lot of times, I’m the only one in my age group.”
Of course, Brock and McNelly might not cross paths in a marathon field of several hundred runners, let alone sprint side-by-side in the final 400 meters. Three weeks ago, Brock figured he would be the only runner in his age group.
“I can’t believe that [McNelly] is running at 87,” Brock said. “I’ll try to make it a point to meet him. Between the two of us, that’s a lot of miles.”
McNelly and Brock hope to finish in less than six hours. McNelly finished in 5:30:33 at the Austin Marathon last weekend.
Cowtown will be McNelly’s 733rd race of marathon length or longer. His total is good for No. 3 in North America, and it comes to 18 races a year since he took up running in 1969.
“I began running because a couple of people I knew that were my age had heart attacks and died,” McNelly said. “It was right before the beginning of the exercise boom when I started my routine.”
McNelly’s first marathon was Boston in 1969, the final year runners could participate without posting qualifying times. He’s run Cowtown eight times, mainly on the old course that went through the Stockyards.
McNelly likes to swing through Texas in February for the Austin Marathon, and then stop by Dallas to visit Dr. Kenneth Cooper for a physical at the Cooper Aerobics Center.
Brock took up running when he was 50, and through the years his marathons have included New York, Boston and Honolulu. He ran in one of the first Cowtowns, and thinks this year’s race might be his last.
“Distance races are hard on the body,” Brock said. “But I enjoy the Cowtown, the festivities are a lot of fun. The only issue for me is finding a place for my wife to stay while she waits for me.”
Brock and McNelly said there was little secret to their athletic longevity.
“People ought to do something to stay active,” McNelly said. “They can run, or walk. I don’t think it makes much of a difference so long as you’re doing something.”
By the numbers
167 Combined age of Cowtown Marathon entrants Don McNelly and Gene Brock, equal to the number of years that has passed since the city of Dallas was founded
60,000 Miles that McNelly estimates that he has run in 40 years
210 Brock’s weight when he took up running at 50
145 Brock’s weight now
THE COWTOWN 7:30 A.M. SATURDAY, SUNDANCE SQUARE

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