Alberto Salazar was just a kid when he fell in love with running. His older brother came home from high school one day and organized a race in their New England neighborhood. Young Salazar, a fifth-grader, tasted competition in his first 50-yard dash. Childhood games turned into serious teenage races, which evolved into a consuming and successful distance running career. Salazar has won three New York City Marathons and one Boston Marathon.
The runner eventually became the coach. Over time the thrill of competition turned into daily runs for health. Then, unexpectedly, pleasure became the plodding necessity.
"I found it difficult to understand why it was harder for me to stay up with friends of mine who were the same age; they seemed to be running so effortlessly," recalls 49-year-old Salazar.
On June 30, 2007, he learned why.