For a period of 13 years, from 1994 until his death at age 94 in 2007, Ernie Van Leeuwen was the LA Marathon's oldest marathon runner. During this time span he ran 13 Los Angeles Marathons, and numerous 5Ks and 10Ks. Ernie left us with 9 single age American Running Records, 8 of which still stood in the year of his death, 2007. Ernie participated in up to 15 local running events a year, including the Superbowl Sunday Redondo Beach 10k, the Gardena 5,000 5k, the Santa Anita Racetrack Run, the Saint Monica 5K, the July 4th Pacific Palisades 10K, and his personal annual favorite, the Los Angeles Marathon. He may have set more records than we know of because Ernie and local race officials never kept track of American age related records. Ernie was always the oldest competitor in the race, and didn't know about any national records until well after he broke them. What made Ernie special was not the records he unknowingly set, but the attitude that we are forever young and can live a full life until the very end. Ernie set out not to break records and win his age category, but "to be a participator," as he always said. He enjoyed the attention he received for participating, and for sharing a "common interest" with his fellow runners. He was the first runner in his generation to do so and he leaves us with not the records, but the can do attitude to live a full life.
The documentary feature movie, Journey to My LA Marathon, chronicles the yearlong path of three special runners, Ernie Van Leeuwen, Adrian Broca, and Fidel Martinez to the climax of their annual training at the Los Angeles Marathon. In the year leading up to what would be his final marathon, Ernie must overcome abdominal surgery, heal, and begin a training regime that will allow a 93 year old man one more chance at the marathon's epic 26.2 miles. The movie tries to capture the heart and soul of this very special man who was always working on improving himself. Ernie inspires us to rethink ourselves and surpass our limitations of who we can yet be.
-Philip Steinman, director, Journey to My LA Marathon
Biography
Ernie Van Leeuwen was Born December 30, 1912 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, when William Howard Taft was president of the US. Ernie was raised in Jackson Hole, Wyoming in a home that had no electricity and no indoor plumbing. In 1939 using rope he climbed the Grand Tetons. Ernie's childhood love for the great outdoors developed into a lifelong concern for the environment. He never played competitive sports, saying, “There weren’t enough kids in school to muster up a team.”
Ernie graduated high school in 1931, lived in Chicago for a short time, and then in 1933 moved to California, where he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1940. He spent the World War II years doing engineering work at the Douglas Aircraft Company. He road his bicycle 2 miles to work then. In 1944 he built a special camera to take time-lapse photographs of the sun, and Life magazine ran a 3 page spread of the resulting pictures. Later, Ernie educated himself in the field of audio and video recording and ran a electronics business for 40 years in Hollywood and later in West LA called Audio Video Craft (Advanced Video).
Ernie formed a grass-roots nonprofit organization with his wife Nina called Earth Repair Service (aka International Ecology Council) aimed at educating the public about environmental issues.
"In the program that we are developing with children, which involves teaching the fun of planting seeds, cultivating & eating them, we are called Mr. & Mrs. Goodhoe. We teach that good soil is the Earth's most valuable resource because without it we can't grow the food that a growing population needs. The motto is "Don't treat soil like dirt." -Ernie
Ernie had a twin sister named Elizabeth Cornelia Van Leeuwen Karns Hecht who lived until 2003. She spent most of her life in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She never ran a marathon.
In 1966 Ernie starting running at age 54, after reading a Reader’s Digest magazine article by Kenneth Cooper about the benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise in Air Force training programs. “I read the article, it made perfect sense, so I starting running. First it was run one block, then walk one block, and so on until I built up my stamina. After awhile, I ran a mile, then another mile. I stayed with it because I knew it would be good for me.” Eventually I started to run 5 and 10Ks.
In the 1980s and early 90s Ernie had earned himself a bunch of bronze and silver medals in the over 70 years of age category for participating in local 5Ks and 10Ks. At the annual July 4th Pacific Palisades 10K Ernie's medals (in over 70 years of age) included: Bronze in 87, silver in 88, bronze in 89, silver in 90, silver in 91, silver in 92. When Ernie was 80 years old in 1993 he was still competing against 70 year olds for the eldest age category (because he was the only 80+ participant). Here lies what makes Ernie different, and very special: instead of retiring from running, he gave himself a new challenge. Ernie dreamed at the age of 81 that he could run and complete a full 26.2 mile marathon. In 1994 Ernie ran his first marathon, the LA Marathon (and it would always be the LAM for him). He placed not 2nd or 3rd, but first in his age category at age 81. Within the marathon, Ernie had found himself. For the next 13 years (and the rest of his life) his ultimate annual pursuit would be the Los Angeles Marathon.
Ernie didn’t start running
marathons until 1994, when he was 81 years young.
Below are his 13 marathons and seasonal accomplishments:
Ernie’s 13
Los Angeles Marathon’s
Year Time
Div
Place age
1994 5:48:49
1
81
1995 5:38:17
1
82
1996
83
1997 6:10:16
2
84
1998 6:28:37
1
85
1999 6:06
86
2000 6:50:32
2
87
2001 6:30:26*
1
88
2002 6:43:07
1
89
2003 6:54:25*
1
90
2004 7:05:32*
1
91
2005 6:46:34*
2
92
2006 9:04:11*
1 93
*marathon Single Age American Record
(runningusa.org)
5Ks & 10Ks
Ernie’s
Year Time
Distance age
1996 28:48*
5K
84
2002 1:10:03*
10K 89
2003 36:13*
5K
90
2003 1:11:24*
10K 90
2004 40:18*
5K
91
*Single Age American Record
Ernie in 1996
With his marathon training, Ernie
got better at 5Ks and 10Ks. On June 2, 1996, somebody noticed
Ernie’s performance and submitted it to USA Track and Field, which
determined that Ernie set the national single age record (M, 84) for
5K (28:48) at the Gardena 5000.
Ernie in 1997
Everything went according to plan for Ernest Van Leeuwen, the oldest competitor in the LA Marathon on Sunday. The 85 year old Encino runner finished in 6:28:37 to win the 80-98 age division for the 3rd time in 5 years and avenge his loss last year to George Feinstein of Altadena.
“It’s not that I’m so good, but so many folks my age have given up,” said Ernie. The turnout is admittedly scant in my division, as few as a handful of runners each year.
“I’ll tell you this,” Ernie said of running at age 85, “I get fewer colds.”
“You’ve got to get to an aerobic rate for it to do any good, but I concentrate on endurance more than speed.”
"When I'm getting ready for a marathon, I increase how far I run every day," he says. "I build it up with sheer determination," (and a lot of physical aptitude). "Then when I'm on the race I pace myself, not taking off too fast in the beginning." - Seniorworld.com
The
90 year old and up marathon record was first established in 1997, in
New York.
Ernie in 1998
At age 85 Ernie was the LA Marathon's eldest participant and finished in 6:28:37 winning the 80-98 age division.
In 1998 in the 85-89 age category, while he was 85 years young, Ernie was named USA Track and Field’s Masters Age Division Runner of the Year.
web articles:
Senior
finishes first in LA Marathon from Seniorworld.com
Ernie in 1999
In 1999 Ernie slashed 22 minutes off his 1998 LAM time to run
it in 6:06
Ernie in 2000
March 9, 2000, Ernie (87) ran his 7th LAM, finishing 2nd
in the 80-98 Division
Saturday, the day before the LA Marathon Ernie
traveled all day on a plane returning from vacation in Australia.
The morning of the marathon it was pouring ran, so Ernie wore a
shower cap over his regular running cap, and 3 layers of plastic to
keep himself warm. “20,000
people out there had second thoughts,” said Ernie, “But no gave up
because nobody else gave up. We
all did it. I’ll say
this, it’s no fun to run in wet shoes for 26 miles.”
At age 87, Ernie said, “You’re not too old to start.
I run 3 to 4 times a
week around my neighborhood. I'm truly not a great runner.
The reason I get attention is because of my age. No one notices
me during the race. I'm just another runner.”
Ernie in 2003
In the 2003 LA Marathon Ernie ran with his nephew
Pete Karns, the son of his twin sister Elizabeth. Pete competed in the 1972 Olympic biathlon,
and decided to join up with his uncle after hearing so much about his
exploits.
Ernie dedicated this year's marathon to Elizabeth,
who died this month in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where they grew up
together. Ernie finished third in his age group of 80
plus. However, at age 90 he deserved to start his very own new age group,
if anyone would take notice of it's just one participant. Ernie had a spectacular
race, but few notice the 7 hour marathon finishers. In 2003 Ernie
Van Leeuwen broke the American age record for 90+ with his time of
6:54:33 by besting Abe Weintraub's time of 7:25:12 in the 2000 New
York City Marathon. Ernie fell just short of breaking
the 90+ world record by only 9 minutes, set by Fauja Singh, 91, with
6:45:31 in last April's London Marathon (Ernie ran 6:43 last year when
he was only 89).
After the race Ernie said, “I’m leaving nothing to chance
next year, so I’m training with the LA Roadrunners. I couldn’t run or walk a block when I started and
now I run marathons. People
my age should run marathons because it’s good for them.”
"Ernie has been one of the most inspiring, endearing and
enjoyable faces for the last eight years.
His courage, vivaciousness, and approach to life are inspiring
and eye opening to everyone that crosses his path."
–Competitor 10/03
In 2003 in the 90+ age category Ernie was named USA Track and Field’s Masters
Age Division Runner of the Year, the 2nd time he received
such honor.
web articles:
90-Year-Old
Runner Eyes Marathon Record
from Thefreelibrary.com
USA
Track and Field 90-94 road records American Masters road records
Ernie in 2004
"Ernie will
stand out from the pack of marathoners as the only one who will clock
in at 92 years old. This year will be his tenth consecutive LA
Marathon. He won the over-80 division at the 2002 race and was
the oldest runner to complete the 2004 race. Ernie remains one
of the LA Marathon's most enjoyable, enduring, and of course,
inspiring figures. As a longtime Sierra Club member, Ernie is
running to raise awareness of environmental
issues." -Saucony 26
In 2004, Saucony began their tradition of selecting the Saucony 26- twenty six unique individuals who will run the LA Marathon that have an amazing story and passion for running. Ernie was the 2nd person ever chosen. “At 91 years old, Ernie is the oldest runner in the field this year, or any year for that matter. He won the over-80 division at the 2002 race. While there has never been an over 90 division, it appears that there is one now. And it looks like Ernie is the one who’ll win it.”
The LA Marathon established a new age category
of 90+,
honoring Ernie’s longevity. When
Ernie was only 88, he was beaten by an 82 year old and said, “I can
tell you that there is a big difference between 82 and 83.”
Ernie is the only one who competed in the 90+ age category in
2004.
Ernie in 2005
In 2005, at age 92 Ernie bested his American marathon record in
90+ age category by finishing the LAM in 6:46:34, nearly 8 minutes
faster than his 2002 performance when he was 90.
web articles:
USA
Track and Field 90-94 road records American Masters road records
Ernie in 2005-6
In the summer of 2005, after the spring LA Marathon, Ernie underwent major abdominal surgery and survived. After recuperating, in the fall he began walking. He was determined to revisit friends and rejoin training with the LA Roadrunners, the spring 2006 LA Marathon was a distant dream. At the 2006 LA Marathon Press Conference Ernie was awarded the Patsy Choco Courage Award in recognition of his past accomplishments. But Ernie wanted more. He wanted to prove to himself that he could still do it. He entered and successfully completed the 2006 LA Marathon in 9:04:11; the complete story of Ernie's incredible comeback year told in Philip Steinman’s documentary movie, Journey to My LA Marathon.
Ernie was a 3D fan who owned a Realist camera and a collection of Tommy Thomas vintage 3D trick slides from the 1960s. Here is in an animated gif picture shot in 3D at the LAM Press conference
Ernie in 2007
Ernie Van Leeuwen died
in his sleep at his Encino home on March 30th, 2007, at age 94, 26.2
days after the 2007 LA Marathon which he did not run. He
suffered a stroke January 27th, but recovered enough to enjoy his last
few weeks at home with his wife Nina. We fondly remember him as the
man who broke the boundaries for what is possible in life by running
marathons into his 90s. He set the American marathon record for his
age division, 6:46:34 at the 2005 LA Marathon when he was 92. Then,
after having stomach surgery in the off-season, he made a comeback to
run it again in 2006 at age 93. Ernie was in fact the oldest American
to run a marathon in 2006, and this story is told in my documentary
movie, Journey to My LA Marathon, now in post-production. I was proud to know Ernie, and grateful to say he was my friend.
-Philip Steinman, LA Roadrunner's Pace Leader for the LA Marathon since 1999
web articles:
Ernie
wished well after stroke by LA Roadrunners friends
NBC tribute to
life of Ernie on Youtube
Ernie
remembered on bulletin board by LA Roadrunners friends
LA
Times obituary
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Journey to
My LA Marathon