Ed Whitlock

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5km
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Ed Whitlock

Postby 5km » Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:32 pm

I'm sad to say that I have just heard that Ed Whitlock has died.

He passed away at Princess Margaret Hospital of prostate cancer. He was an inspiration to a lot of us and will be greatly missed.
Last edited by 5km on Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Dstew » Mon Mar 13, 2017 4:43 pm

The motivation, the inspiration that I take from Mr. Whitlock is not the literal - you can run marathons into your 80s or beyond. But instead that do what you want to do and for as long as you can do it and the possibilities may be endless. From everything I read, he just loved doing the same route in the same manner and did not need nor care for over complicating it. We can get to a point where we HAVE to run a tempo because it is Tuesday and the time, distance and pace are all carefully measured and prescribed. Then on Wednesday it is ... But again, my impression of Ed was his philosophy was go out and run and let that be your guide to what races to do and not the other way around.

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ian
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby ian » Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:16 pm

Crud. I think that this weekend's long run is going to be a lot of loops without a hint of ego or self-pity.

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marymac442
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby marymac442 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 7:20 pm

ian wrote:Crud. I think that this weekend's long run is going to be a lot of loops without a hint of ego or self-pity.

A few loops of the local cemetery are in order.
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Spirit Unleashed » Mon Mar 13, 2017 8:22 pm

Sorry. A legend.....
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Habs4ever » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:13 pm

Such an inspiration!
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.

Postby Shreck » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:03 am

.
Last edited by Shreck on Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:26 am, edited 2 times in total.

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ian
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby ian » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:09 am

Shreck wrote:Sorry for going off topic

Way out of line, in my opinion. An 86 year-old dying of cancer is hardly an unnatural tragedy that warrants proselytizations about how best to eat and exercise. There are other places on this board for you to post that. Hopefully the mods will remove these posts so that this thread can return to being a respectful tribute.

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Jwolf » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:46 am

ian wrote:
Shreck wrote:Sorry for going off topic

Way out of line, in my opinion. An 86 year-old dying of cancer is hardly an unnatural tragedy that warrants proselytizations about how best to eat and exercise. There are other places on this board for you to post that. Hopefully the mods will remove these posts so that this thread can return to being a respectful tribute.


+1

(Also statitiscally ALL men will get prostate cancer if they live long enough.)
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Jwolf » Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:54 am

Sad to see Ed go. He was a true inspiration.

I would love to live and run to 86, setting records right up to the end.
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby dgrant » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:00 am

I couldn't possibly hold any runner in higher esteem. The way he handled his success and notoriety was such a breath of fresh air. He got famous for doing something special... and then just kept doing it. No "Marathon Grandpa" gimmicks, no run selfies, no "raising awareness" scams, no pretending he had a secret formula. Ed Whitlock was the genuine article and I feel lucky to have witnessed a part of his life.

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby deerdree » Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:35 am

very sad news.

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5km
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby 5km » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:36 am

I was in the starting chute for the Robbie Burns Run this past January, only a few feet away from Ed Whitlock, when he acted as the race starter. I remember thinking he looked quite frail, but never having seen him in person, I didn't suspect that he was not well. I looked for him after the race but did not see him.

I regret that I never had the chance to actually meet and speak with him. He was a real gentleman and will be missed.

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby ultraslacker » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:37 am

I never met him, but what an inspiration!
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby mas_runner » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:44 am

Definitely a legend due to his age group records but also for the way he conducted himself. He just loved to run and you never saw any "look at me" type behaviour from him. A real sad loss.

RIP Ed.
PBs
5th Sep 2015 - Run Ottawa free 5km - 21:05
21st Jun 2015 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 10km - 45:45
16th Jun 2013 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 15km - 1:11:44
16th Apr 2016 - MEC 10 miler - 1:20:21
12th Apr 2015 - EY R4R Half Marathon - 1:41:15
26th May 2013 - Ottawa Marathon - 3:43:51

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La
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby La » Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:48 am

5km wrote:I was in the starting chute for the Robbie Burns Run this past January, only a few feet away from Ed Whitlock, when he acted as the race starter. I remember thinking he looked quite frail, but never having seen him in person, I didn't suspect that he was not well. I looked for him after the race but did not see him.

He was a very slight man to begin with.

I always just expected that he would keep running and setting records forever. Very sad loss to the running community.
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby mas_runner » Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:16 pm

La wrote:
I always just expected that he would keep running and setting records forever. Very sad loss to the running community.


+1

Was patiently waiting for him to start obliterating those 90-94 records. What a sad loss to (Canadian) running.
PBs
5th Sep 2015 - Run Ottawa free 5km - 21:05
21st Jun 2015 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 10km - 45:45
16th Jun 2013 - UR 4 Men's Cancers 15km - 1:11:44
16th Apr 2016 - MEC 10 miler - 1:20:21
12th Apr 2015 - EY R4R Half Marathon - 1:41:15
26th May 2013 - Ottawa Marathon - 3:43:51

2017 races - coming up
7th May - Defi Entreprise 10km
28th May - Ottawa Half Marathon
17th Sep - Army Run Half Marathon

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby purdy65 » Tue Mar 14, 2017 3:13 pm

When I go to run loops of the nearby cemetery, I tell my husband that I'm 'going to get my Ed Whitlock on'. He knows where I'll be. :)

Loops will probably happen this weekend.
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GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby tayken » Tue Mar 14, 2017 3:58 pm

+ 1

May his soul rest in peace!

dgrant wrote:I couldn't possibly hold any runner in higher esteem. The way he handled his success and notoriety was such a breath of fresh air. He got famous for doing something special... and then just kept doing it. No "Marathon Grandpa" gimmicks, no run selfies, no "raising awareness" scams, no pretending he had a secret formula. Ed Whitlock was the genuine article and I feel lucky to have witnessed a part of his life.
On the books for 2017

Winterman 10km - (1st in age group) - Feb 19,
Chilly Half Marathon - Mar 5 (Done)
Around the bay 30k - Mar 26, (Done)
Limestone 1/2 - Apr 30,
Ottawa race weekend Voyager Challenge - May 27-28,
Spring Fling Toronto - June?
World Record Kilt Run Perth - June 24
Foam Fest 5k Ottawa - Jul 22
Pure Protein Night Race - Aug 12
Army Run Vimy Challenge - Sep 17
Marathon Du P'tit Train Du Nord Quebec - Oct 22

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Ken B » Tue Mar 14, 2017 6:08 pm

Many excellent tributes here. I was lucky to meet and chat with him at the Calgary Marathon a couple of years ago. He and I discussed the course and the difficulties of running different types of marathon routes. He was and is a definite inspirations for me!

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Nicholas » Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:11 pm

A true runner in the "old school" mould. Some of his running shoes were almost as old as he was. I remember running alongside him many years ago in a night stage of the Cabot Trail Relay. We ran for about a kilometer and then he changed gears and quietly disappeared into the night. He will be sorely missed.
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Events in 2018
Walking, Yoga, Soccer scrimmages and whatever else I can do
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Robinandamelia » Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:44 am

Very sad. Spoke to him a couple of times and he was always so humble and gracious. It was amazing to watch him run too. Incredible. He was still so fast, even while he was battling cancer. Super impressive.

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby olympichopeful » Mon Mar 20, 2017 11:41 pm

Jwolf wrote:Sad to see Ed go. He was a true inspiration.

I would love to live and run to 86, setting records right up to the end.


An incredible man, inspiring many Canadians and runners around the world to continue running for as long as we can!
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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Doonst » Thu Mar 23, 2017 5:51 pm

dgrant wrote:I couldn't possibly hold any runner in higher esteem. The way he handled his success and notoriety was such a breath of fresh air. He got famous for doing something special... and then just kept doing it. No "Marathon Grandpa" gimmicks, no run selfies, no "raising awareness" scams, no pretending he had a secret formula. Ed Whitlock was the genuine article and I feel lucky to have witnessed a part of his life.

Well said David!
next up:


This broken wing will fly again
One fine day
This blackbird's mute gonna sing again
One fine day

So all you sinners come out
And all you drunkards crawl out
Come into the light of one fine day

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Re: Ed Whitlock

Postby Ken B » Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:31 pm

Doonst wrote:
dgrant wrote:I couldn't possibly hold any runner in higher esteem. The way he handled his success and notoriety was such a breath of fresh air. He got famous for doing something special... and then just kept doing it. No "Marathon Grandpa" gimmicks, no run selfies, no "raising awareness" scams, no pretending he had a secret formula. Ed Whitlock was the genuine article and I feel lucky to have witnessed a part of his life.

Well said David!



Indeed. I hope everything is going well, Sheldon! :)


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