Running Legend Burfoot: Sport Still An Option Amid Coronavirus

MANCHESTER, CT — A running legend said this week it's been easy to practice social distancing while still getting in the mileage.

Runners are health-conscious anyway, Amby Burfoot said in an interview with Patch.

"Most runners, being naturally invested in good health and fitness, are following social distance guidelines," Burfoot said. "I see a lot of people running alone, which is what I am doing."

Burfoot knows running. He won the Boston Marathon in 1968 and is a nine-time champion of the Manchester Road race who, in 2019, ran it for a 57th consecutive time. He is the former editor-in-chief at Runner's World magazine and now serves as editor emeritus. Burfoot has authored several books on running. He lives in Mystic.

At 73, Burfoot knows he belongs to the coronavirus high-risk group.

"I'm also walking with a group of four guys, all in the over-70 high-risk pool," he said. "We drive to our meet-up location in separate cars. We're generally standing a few feet apart from each other when talking and walk with a few feet of distance between us.

"Everyone's staying at home except for our walks and I haven't heard anyone cough or sneeze. All are science teachers, science fans, or even a big pharma researcher, so we're well aware we could carry covid 19 without symptoms. But, so far. southeast Connecticut. seems a cool zone."

He said getting out is the key elsewhere too, with the proper precautions. His wife, Cristina, is a seamstress and has made "colorful" cotton masks for the family.

"Our three-times-a-week meetups are a highlight in weeks that have become otherwise quite humdrum," Burfoot said of the walking group, used to supplement his running. "I think and hope these walks are good for all of us."