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George Hirsch is one of the pioneers in the sport of running. A graduate of the elite universities Princeton and Harvard, in the 1960s and 70s he made a name for himself as the editor of the New Times Magazine and as the deputy editor of Life

International, as well.

When Fred Lebow moved the marathon in New York City from Central Park onto the city streets in 1976, Hirsch was one of the first sponsors. At the end of the 1970s, the marathon programme developed into the running magazine, "The Runner", which shined with his essays and reports. When this magazine was incorporated into the world market leader magazine “Runners World” in 1987, Hirsch became the editor.  In 1993, he launched the first international editions of RUNNER´S WORLD in South Africa, Great Britain, and Germany. Further editions in Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, and Australia were added.

An ambitious runner

Hirsch was always an ambitious runner. In 1979 he ran a longer segment of the Boston Marathon race with a then unknown runner named Joan Benoit. The little runner from Maine went on to win the women’s marathon in a time of 2:35, while George had to let her pull away a few kilometres before the finish, finishing himself with his personal best time of 2:38:45.  A few years later Joan Benoit became Joan Benoit-Samuelson and the first women’s Olympic marathon champion in history (in Los Angeles in 1984).

M70 champion at the 32nd real,- BERLIN MARATHON 2005

As a restless retiree, George Hirsch never lost his running ambitions. He beat the 3-hour mark one more time shortly before his 60th birthday. This year he won the age group M70 in Berlin with a clear lead in 3:31, a time that also gives him the year’s best time in the USA for the category M70. He prepared for the real,- BERLIN MARATHON by training between 80 and 120 km a week, while he did part of his training in the water (aqua jogging).

Chairman of the Board of the New York Roadrunners Club

Hirsch has been connected to the New York Marathon since the beginning. Early this October he became the chairman of the board of the New York Roadrunners Club, the event organiser for the marathon.

Thomas Steffens

Also check out our article: "With total concentration through Berlin" (but only in German)http://www.scc-events.com/news/news003696.html