14 Minutes

 "If you want to achieve a high goal, you're going to have to take some chances." Alberto Salazar

Alberto Salazar an American running legend of the 1980s, he is known as the mastermind of the Oregon running project where he coaches some of the worlds best runners. His running history includes U.S. track records of 13:11.93 for 5,000 m and 27:25.61 for 10,000 m done within a month. He also won the New York Marathon three times and was involved in the 1982  Boston Marathon known as the duel in the sun with Dick Beardsley. This is an autobiography that covers Alberto’s life, his triumphs and failures but the recurring themes are faith, discipline, hard work and irrepressible will.

  

The book is broken down into four different sections, the prologue, three main chapters and the epilogue. The prologue where our hero goes in depth about his white light experience or lack thereof, noting his new WR of being dead for 14 minutes. Looking at the events surrounding that time with the perspective of a man who has been given a reprieve from deaths call. A man of faith who tells his story in the hopes that he can help the people who are like him. The people who find their passion, find where they shine, and are looking to accomplish something great. Their passion is all consuming bordering on an obsession, the obsession in most runners hearts. In the first chapter you are introduced to the Patriarch of the family, detailing his involvement in the Cuban revolution.   He was looking for justice like so many other young Cubans at the time, he left the island 9 years later disillusioned. The reason they left was his faith and the Castro regime turning its back on the Catholic Church, which was an institution in the Salazar family. He was also involved in one of the attempts to overthrow Castro, but the U.S. government nixed the operation before it began. He turned his attention to providing for his family, the double betrayal he felt in his heart was the fueled Alberto’s competitive spirit.  Alberto and his brothers loved sports his brothers loved running, football and baseball. He found his home in running, he talks about one episode the Falmouth race in 1978 where he almost dies. A strong theme in the book is his brushes with death, even dying for 14 minutes and coming back. The fact that 20 years ago if you went into cardiac arrest you were gone. His brother Ricardo was a runner for Navy and his coach would send Alberto workouts from an Olympic teammate. Ricardo planted the seed in his brain if your a serious runner you will go to the University of Oregon, the home of Bill Bowerman and Steve Prefontaine. The workouts paid off after a couple of successful track seasons he ended up training with the Greater Boston Track club. He was training with world class runners like Bill Rodgers who Alberto watched win the Boston Marathon. This caused it all to click with Alberto, he progressed rapidly. We follow his track career from High School, to college to the New York City

Marathon. After his disappointment with the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics, he was invited by Fred Lebow, to compete in the New York City Marathon. A race that had been dominated the last four years by his old training partner Bill Rodgers. Alberto went on to win the NYC marathon over the next three years setting the course and world record while continuing to win.  He also had a legendary Boston Marathon with Dick Beardsley named the duel in the sun.  In 1982 these two men were in each others pockets throughout the last nine miles of the race leaving the other runners behind, fighting one another off. Little did they know the cost of that legendary race, Beardsley spiraled into drug addiction and Salazar was never really the same. The toll it took on his immune system, sending him into depression. He did have one more win in him the Comrades race an 87 km race in South Africa his winning time in 1994 was 6:41:23. The rebounded with his faith and by taking prozac to get him out of the depression. He took a job with Nike as a representative, but it was not enough for him. Feeling he had more to offer he became a coach of the Nike Oregon Project he has worked with Alan Webb, Mo Farah, Galen Rupp, Adam goucher, Kara Goucher, Dan Browne, Amy Yoder Beglet, Dathan Ritzenhein and Mary Cain. 

The real story is his final victory not over death. In finding his purpose in life, the ability to look back at his mistakes and guide the next generation. Renewing his commitment to his faith, his family and his mission. Yes, at time Alberto may come off as arrogant. I believe you need a little arrogance to reach the stratosphere in any competitive endeavor.