
DATE: Friday, March 14, 1997                TAG: 9703140864

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C10  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:  117 lines

SHAMROCK MARATHON HAS GROWN FROM VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

New business ventures must go through stormy weather in their first year, the metaphor goes. Those associated with the first Shamrock Marathon had to deal with it literally, too.

``As I remember it,'' said Bill Moore, 53, who has run in all but one marathon since its inception, ``it was rainy, and the winds were gusting anywhere from 40 to 65 miles per hour. When we got onto the Rudee Inlet Bridge, the winds were so strong they almost blew me off the bridge. I'd never seen winds like that before.''

Maybe in a bigger marathon Moore could have stayed in the pack and let others buffer the wind, but not here. When the gun fired on that inaugural race on St. Patrick's Day in 1973, only 54 runners - all but three from Hampton Roads - responded. Of those, 38 - including just one woman - crossed the finish line.

And there weren't that many more onlookers lining the course, either.

``I don't even remember if my wife was out there that day,'' said Moore, who finished 12th.

But from such humble beginnings would arise a race that, as it prepares for its 25th running Saturday morning at 9 a.m., has grown from a tiny, unnoticed marathon run mainly by area novices into a two-day bazaar of road racing, replete with a world-class 8-kilometer event, clinics featuring nutritionists and physiologists, a large after-race party and a sports and fitness exposition race coordinator Jerry Bocrie calls ``one of the largest in the country.''

All this starts at the Pavilion, about a half-mile in distance and light years in spectacle from the statue of the Norwegian Lady, where the first race was completed.

Last year's races drew more than 4,000 runners, and a like number are expected this weekend.

When Bocrie and the Striders first approached the Virginia Beach Rotary Club about sponsoring a major race to fill out the fledgling club's schedule, Bocrie tried to persuade them toward a marathon.

``Maybe it seems a little selfish, but we didn't want to go outside the area to Richmond or something to qualify for the Boston Marathon,'' Bocrie said.

Board member Pat Bridges agreed, suggesting that the race be conducted around St. Patrick's Day. Thus, the Shamrock Marathon (actually, the Rotary Shamrock Marathon until 1978, when the Striders took complete control of the race) was christened.

And from there, the race began the slow trek to where it is today.

``We were headquartered in the old Princess Anne Hotel, on 25th Street,'' Bocrie said. ``Once we got some sponsors, we moved to the Hilton, which we would soon outgrow. Then the city asked us if we wanted to relocate to the convention center about 10 years ago, and that's when we added the other expo and other events.''

While the marathon's growth was evolutionary, the 8K's development was more of a Big Bang.

Like the marathon, the 8K was mainly of interest to locals only. And like most shorter races, it resided well in the shadow of the marathon.

That changed in 1986 when Bocrie offered eight-time Boston Marathon winner Greta Waitz an appearance fee to run in the 8K. One world record-breaking performance later, the floodgates opened.

``Her world record sent a clear message to the racing world,''said Bocrie ``We have a fast course, and when the conditions are right, a world record can be broken. And that's when interest developed.''

World records, however, aren't the raison d'etre for Moore, who - come hell or high winds - will lace them up for his 24th Shamrock Marathon. Creaky joints willing, he'll cross the finish line for the 22nd time.

``I think I have the record for most finishes over there,'' Moore said. ``I would've run in 1989 (the only year he didn't run), but Jerry (Bocrie) wouldn't fly me back from Germany.''

But still, his first (and highest) finish is the sweetest. ``I distinctly remember finishing ahead of Jerry that day,'' Moore said with a laugh. ILLUSTRATION: SHAMROCK MARATHON

TODAY

2-10 p.m. - Sports and Fitness Expo at the Pavilion; registration

and race packet pick up

7:30 p.m. - Dr. Liz Applegate runner's clinic

SATURDAY

7 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Sports and Fitness Expo

7 a.m. to start of first race - registration and packet pick up

8:30 a.m. - Master's 8K start

9 a.m. - Marathon start

9:30 a.m. - Open 8K start

10 a.m. - 5K walk start

10 a.m. - Nine bicycle races sponsored by the Tidewater Bicycle