Ernie Rivas has run 124,000 miles (11-2012)

Ernie Rivas
Oakland, CA
DOB:  4-16-50
---------------------------------- 
I started running and competing officially in 1965 when I was 15 years old and have never stopped doing both year after year. Now at age 62, I have documented 124,000 miles and over 800 races. My personal training and racing program was based on what guys like Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers and Tom Fleming, to name just a few, did back in the 70s. Although I trained like those guys, I never broke 2:20 for the marathon. My personal best was a 2:21.16 at the 1980 National A.A.U. Marathon Championship. I was the 9th American runner to finish the race. That time qualified me for 1980 Olympic Marathon Trails. For a good club runner like myself, to qualify for and then to compete in those Olympic trials was a dream come true. 

From 1972 to 1984, my basic running program centered on running high mileage at a fast tempo pace everyday. I ran lots of 100 plus mile weeks year round during that period. My focus was always on running fast marathons to the best of my abilities. During that 12 year period, I ran 15 sub 2:30 marathons and another set of 15 marathons between 2:30 and 2:37. I won the Avenue of the Giants Marathon twice on kicks in the final mile with winning times in the 2:23 range.  I finished 35th and 60th in the 1976 and 1979 NYC Marathons with times under 2:30. My first time under 2:30 was at the 1975 Boston Marathon where I ran 2:26 and my last time was a 2:25 at the Oakland Marathon in 1984.

I still run 6 to 7 days a week and average between 25 to 40 miles per week. I only race up to 10Ks these days and still love running everyday and competing.