NYC Marathon Superstars

The walk from the river to the Science Center is a daunting task for most Harvard students. Imagine repeating that distance 55 times in a row, all at a breakneck pace.

The New York City marathon course is 26.2 grueling miles through four of the five boroughs. The best runners in the world do it in just over two hours, and several former Harvardians are not far behind.

In Sunday’s annual New York City marathon, two recent College graduates no doubt made varsity track and cross-country coach Frank Haggerty ’68 proud by running in amazing fashion. With times of 2:29:37 and 2:29:55 respectively, Edward S. Baker ’01 and John M. Traugott ’03 blazed through the course.

Baker finished 41st overall and 16th among American males, while Traugott placed 44th and 18th.

For Baker, marathons are getting to be old hat. Sunday’s marathon was his fourth, including runs in Florida and Boston. As a Harvard student, he captained the varsity cross-country team for two years and competed in varsity track.

Though he graduated three years ago, Baker still appreciates his days on the Harvard athletic fields. “The base I built up in college has helped my training since I graduated,” he says. But that being said, Baker admits that “it’s a totally different thing racing 26 miles.”

Baker began training for this year’s marathon in the middle of August after sustaining injuries until mid-July. He hopes to build upon this year’s personal best and “get down to the low 2:20s.” The qualifying time for Olympic trials is 2:22:00, and Baker believes that time is in reach if he “can put in the proper training.”

Meanwhile, Traugott’s accomplishment may be even more remarkable. His fantastic finish Sunday came in his first-ever marathon. He called it a “thrilling” experience. As a born and raised New Yorker, running his first marathon in his hometown made the experience “extra-special.”

At the beginning of the race, Traugott claims that he did not have any high expectations. It was only in the heat of the race that he decided to really push himself. “I know the decision to go after it would come during the race,” he says. “That decision… wasn’t really premeditated.”

Though Traugott has no plans as a distance-runner long-term (at Harvard, he was a mid-distance track runner), he is considering running in the next Boston marathon.

Maybe the rest of us shouldn’t complain about the trek to the Quad.