To repeat Pierre's sentiment...Congratulations to Doug on being
inducted into the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame on May 9.

Here are the links to an article about Doug in the May issue of Due
North magazine:
http://www.duenorthmagazine.com/features.php?FeatureID=128
http://www.duenorthmagazine.com/magazine/runners.pdf

*****

MARATHON MAN - Running in the Family

There is an infectious buzz in the air in a modest west-end
home in Owen Sound that rises and ripples with the
cadence of joy and laughter. I am lucky to be meeting with
Doug Barber and his family to talk about how one mild-mannered
ex-steelworker turns into a superhero-in-running shoes,
and takes his family along with him to the finish line.

Doug began running in 1978 at the ripe old age of 32, "just to
get in shape." Now, when I think of getting in shape, I think
of doing a couple of stretches in the morning, and maybe a
few laps on the treadmill to give the old ticker a kick-start for
the day. Doug's idea, on the other hand, was to take flight in
unprecedented ways. Not long after deciding that he was
running just to be physically fit, he ran his first marathon in
Toronto – that's a whopping 26.2 miles – in 4:04:31. A year
later, he finished the Ottawa marathon in 3:12:25 and Niagara
Falls at 3:05:36. By 1984, he was regularly beating the 3-hour
clock. In that year, in fact, he ran eight marathons, all under
2:50:00 with his personal best recorded in Toronto at 2:39:20.
Not bad for someone who just "wanted to lose a few pounds."

At first glance, it is difficult to reconcile the steely
determination (some might say "mild" obsession) required
to undertake and complete such gruelling tasks with the man
who sits across from me, bright-eyed, cheerful and relaxed.
He exchanges light-hearted banter with Joanne, his spouse,
and Tracy, their daughter about who really wears the running
shoes in the family. Unanimously, they defer to Doug who
modestly concurs with a wry, wicked grin. "Yeh, well,
somebody had to get this family moving," he quips, slyly.

Doug admits that he was hooked from his first step but that
his love of the sport came naturally – probably a genetic
component, he adds. His father, Robert "Bert" Barber ran
races well into his 80s, sometimes competing alongside his
son, Doug, and grand-daughter Tracy. Tracy notes with
pride, "He was 75, with a pacemaker, and he ran a 5
kilometre race in Owen Sound." And Doug adds instantly,
"In 27:34!" It's not something that can easily be forgotten,
and the time is ingrained indelibly in their memories.

Doug was to be found pounding the streets and trails in all
kinds of weather, at any given time of the day; in fact,
whenever he had a break from "work" he went to "work" on the
trails. It sounds like the mail carrier's homily – neither rain,
nor hail, nor sleet, nor snow shall stop him.

"The training that leads up to a marathon is unbelievable,"
offers Tracy on her Dad's behalf. "You have to build up
slowly, for strength and stamina and then you have to start
building mileage – give yourself at least 3 or 4 trial runs. And
you have to have incredible discipline to maintain the routine."

There is no doubt that Doug fits the profile: determined,
unwavering, resolute. "He is truly amazing. I couldn't keep
up with him – in the number of marathons he runs. He just
keeps going." The Energizer Bunny comes to mind, and I
mean that with the utmost respect. Doug has graduated from
the modest marathon of 26 miles plus, to the 50k and 100k
ultra marathon. He won his first 100k race in Niagara in the
steamy heat of July 1994 with a recorded time of 9:34:15. (I
note quietly to myself that I would have died of heat prostration
somewhere around 10 kms – but I digress.) Overall,
Doug has competed in 238 marathons, 143 of which were in
the ultra category.

Joy crackles around the room as they exchange stories about
races run and challenges met. "There is no feeling like it in the
world," says Doug. "It's a challenge against yourself. No
matter what goes on in the world, you just focus on yourself
… you focus on your next step … and the one after that…
and the world becomes a different place."

"It's a fire within," adds Tracy. "The endorphins are just flying
around like crazy, and you feel good. Happy. They call it
a "runner's high" and there's good reason for that. You feel
like nothing can stop you … you feel like you could almost
sprout wings and fly." Tracy is no running slouch either. She
contracted the running bug while she was still in high school,
competing regularly in provincial cross-country races, winning
championships in OTFA (Ontario Track & Field
Association) as well as placing high standing in OFSAA
(Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations). She
competed in the New York City marathon in November of
2002 just four months after the birth of Nicole. "I probably
shouldn't have done it, considering I was still nursing at the
time, but it's not every day you win the NYC marathon lottery.
I suppose that the competitive spirit is alive and well in me."

The family shares a conspiratorial grin and Joanne offers,
"Oh, it's the competitive edge, all right, in this family, but it
also makes you feel so free. You just feel the stress melting
away from you. When I go out, I prefer to be by myself. I
find my own space; I concentrate better; I resolve a lot of
things being out there." Joanne was a runner but switched
instead to power-walking because it was easier on the body.
But what a walker! "You just can't keep up with Mum," says
Tracy. "I have to almost run to keep up to her walking."
"Well, when you're married to a runner, you have to do
something to keep up with him," counters Joanne.

Joanne began power-walking for much the same reason as
Doug – to get back into shape. It wasn't long however, before
the sport became a reason in its own right and she too was
bitten with the competitive bug. She walked her first
marathon in 2007, which resulted in her achieving the First
Overall Walker in a 42.2k race, in 5:02:00. (Tracy competed
in this walk with her mother in which Tracy won the Overall
Running category for women.) "I just can't stop. And I
certainly wouldn't let the weather stop me," says Joanne.
Tracy elaborates, "When Mum was doing her last long
training run for the marathon, she walked to Big Bay [from
Owen Sound] in pouring rain … in a thunder storm."

"A lot of it is about discipline," says Tracy. "But a lot of it is
about having fun too. I mean, there's a lot of training
involved if you're going to compete, but there's also a lot of
camaraderie once you get to the meet. And the great bonus is
that you become in tune with your body. You get to really
know yourself. Running marathons can be hard on your
body. If you run too many, there's the potential to hurt
yourself. Not everyone can be like Dad. When I do my
running clinics [at the Runner's Den, of which she is
proprietor] I talk to people about getting moving, and getting
discipline … and everything in moderation," she laughs. "But
then, sometimes I find it hard to take my own advice."

Doug understands, in principle, that moderation is required.
He's been laid up three times in his running career. In 1980,
he fractured a bone in his foot, which laid him up till August
of that year; in 1992, he had surgery on his right Achilles tendon;
and most recently he ruptured his left Achilles tendon in
September 2007 while hiking (ironically, not while running)
which has given him a "little bit of trouble." But he's getting
anxious to be out on the trails again, getting ready for that
other marathon that is just around the corner. Undoubtedly,
his injury won't keep him out of the running for long. He has
miles to go before he rests. Run, Forrest, Run!

***
In 2007, Doug Barber received the 500k Club
Award at Ganaraska 50k. He finished the 50k
for the 10th year, running.
On May 9, 2008 Doug will be inducted into
the Owen Sound Sports Hall of Fame at The
Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
In 2008, Doug also celebrates 30 years since
his first marathon in Toronto, in 1978 and 26
years since his first ultra marathon in Waterloo,
in 1982.

***
DOUG
-1978 Ran his 1st Marathon (26.2 miles) at age 32 in
Toronto in 4:04:31
-1979 Greatly improved performance at Ottawa
(3:12:25) and Niagara Falls (3:05:36)
-1980 Fractured a foot bone in April; ran in August at
Port Huron (2:55:40). In October,
qualified for the Boston Marathon at Toronto
and ran a personal best of 2:47:57.
The Boston Marathon had a strict limit of 2:50
time, unlike the age-graded system they use
today.
-1981 Qualified for the Boston Marathon in Port Huron
with 2:48:59 – on his 35th birthday.
-1982 Ran 1st Ultra Marathon in Waterloo – 38 miles
-1983 Ran 1st 50-mile race in Buffalo in November in
6:45:30
-1984 Finished off year by setting a new personal best
in the 50k race in Peoria, IL in 3:21:50. 2 sub-2:40
(PB of 2:39:20) at Toronto & Port Huron
both in September!
-1985 Organized his 1st race 50k Wiarton to Owen
Sound and won it in 3:32:51
-1986 Turned 40 and ran his 1st Master in Jackson,
MI. Called the Ultimate Runner for participating
in 5 events (10k, 400m, 100m, 1 mile,
26.2 miles). Came in 4th.
-1987 Ran his fastest Boston Marathon in 2:48:50
-1988 Won Sagamok 60k race near Sudbury in
4:35:25; won the 50k in Owen Sound in
3:43:23
-1989 Ran his 50th sub-3 hour marathon in Detroit, MI
in 2:52:08
-1990 Ran 62 loops of the half-mile track at the
Coliseum 50k in 3:21:22 and set a new
Canadian Masters record
-1991 Won the provincial Masters Marathon
Championship west of Sudbury in 2:42
-1992 Achilles Tendon Surgery
-1993 Ran 1st post-surgery marathon in London in
3:07:29; won the 50-mile race in Buffalo in
6:39:54
-1994 Won his first 100k race in Niagara in 9:34:15
-1995 Won the Niagara 50k in 3:48:03; was
nominated to Team Canada for 100k World
Challenge in Winschoten, Netherlands. He set
a personal best and placed 8th in the 45-49
age group in 9:15:44
-1996 Won the 50+ at Niagara in 3:13
-1997 Ran a record 14 ultras and 2 marathons in 1997
-1998 Ran 12 ultras and 2 marathons
-1999 Won provincial 50k trail championship (50+)
at Waterloo
-2000 Ran 11 ultras and 1 marathon
-2001 Completed 100th ultra in Toronto 50k in
4:10:12
-2002 Ran 200th marathon or ultra at the National
100k Championships in Victoria in 10:44:42
-2003 Ran Boston marathon with daughter Tracy
-2004 Placed 1st in the 50+ Haliburton 50-mile race
in 9:32:08
-2005 Six more 50k trail run finishes
-2006 Placed 1st in the 60+ at Haliburton 50k in
5:37:56
-2007 Placed 1st in the 60+ in 9 of 11 races
-1997 to 2007 Organized the Damn Tuff Ruff Bluff Run
(25k & 50k) in Owen Sound at Harrison Park for eleven
years with up to 150 runners competing. This is part of
the 13-race Ontario Ultra Series.

***
Most prolific races: 26 finishes at the 8-mile race from
Oliphant to Wiarton and 23 finishes at Hamilton's Around
the Bay 30k race. He has been recognized by the City of
Owen Sound "Night of Champions" in 5 different years. He
has held two Canadian Masters records in 1990 for the 50k &
60k disciplines! In order to compete, he's travelled to New
York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois,
Pennsylvania, British Columbia and Quebec, and of course
hundreds of towns and cities in Ontario.

***
Other Personal Bests:
5k in 16:57
10k in 34:04
Half-marathon in 1:15:34
30k in 1:51:24
Marathon in 2:39:20
50k in 3:21:22
50 miles in 5:58:23
100k in 9:15:44

***
View: www.ouser.org for more information and photos