Athlete Profile by George Banker

It is not a straightforward task to write about Mike Spinnler after all these years. I will take a shortcut and use three words: consistent, insistent, and persistent. Anyone that knows Mike will understand that he has a dedication that is contagious. Being in the same space with him, it’s impossible not to be impressed with the frank conversation that he speaks straight from his heart. If you ask, “Where is the JFK 50 Mile?” my response would be “The JFK 50 Miler is where Mike Spinnler is.” I view Mike as being the 50 Miler; he is the heartbeat.

Spinnler knows how to get the best out of a person, whether an athlete, staff member, or volunteer. He gives you the respect and values your comments.

If you ever attended the Legends Dinner the night before the JFK 50 Mile, you would ask yourself, “How does this guy keep all that information?”

You can read below a few points about Spinnler through the responses.

What was your introduction to the sport?

My older brother Bill introduced me to the sport while I watched him train for the 1971 JFK 50 Mile. I convinced my parents to let me enter as well. I would end up finishing 129th place of 589 starters in 14:19:23. I was 12-years old, and my longest training run was 2.5 miles.

What was your distance of choice?

My distance of choice in college was the two-mile and three-mile indoors and the 3,000-meter steeplechase outdoors. As a post-collegiate, I did the marathon and 50-miles.

 How did you get into coaching?

First started “coaching” in my sophomore year in college, when I began helping the freshman on the team at Hagerstown Junior College, Fall of 1977.

What is your philosophy for coaching?

Don’t over-complicate a very simple sport. As four-time Olympian George Young once told me, “The guy who runs the most miles in training at the fastest pace normally wins the race.”

What are the qualities do you look for in an athlete?

I look for athletes that aren’t afraid to dream big and train hard. Individuals who are receptive to opening their minds to what is possible. Young people – and young at heart people – who are absolutely driven to become extraordinary.

 How did the name “Pink” come about?

1982 Cherry Blossom 10-Miler champ Terry Baker started calling me Pink in the Summer of 1976. We trained together 100-plus miles per week. The sun turned his skin brown. It turned my fair skin pink. I hated the nickname at first, but it stuck, and I learned to live with it. Lots of people in the running world haven’t got a clue who Mike Spinnler is, but they know Pink! LOL!

When you were competitive, what two performances stood out?

I ran 2:28:18 at age 23 in the famous “Duel In The Sun” Boston Marathon. The weather slowed times that day. It was the height of U.S. distance running. I would place 123rd and top a bunch of Olympic Trials Qualifiers — including Jim Hage and Dave Rinehart. Which I remind them of to this day. LOL!

Also, the 1982 JFK 50 Mile that I won at age 24, beating the legendary Max White’s 1973 course record. Max ran 5:55:30 and his record stood nearly a decade. I ran 5:53:05, and that record stood for twelve years. That was probably my most memorable day as an athlete.

How did the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club (CVAC) get started?

U.S. National Team member William “Buzz” Sawyer founded the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club in 1960. He handed over the club management duties to me in late 1992.

What was your motivation to take over as race director of the JFK 50 Mile?

I took over the directorship of the JFK 50 Mile after the 30th Annual JFK 50 Mile in November 1992. Buzz was 64 years old and felt that I was the guy to take the race into the next century. I felt honored and I took the baton from him. 

What do you want a participant to know about the JFK 50 Mile?

I want the JFK 50 Mile participants to know that there is no JFK 50 Mile without Buzz Sawyer breathing life into the event for three-decades. I also want them to know that I have a remarkable race management staff and hundreds of volunteers that make this one of America’s greatest sporting events.

How do you feel about the sport since you started?         

I freakin’ love this sport! What a great time for U.S. Distance Running! These kids aren’t the “best since;” they are the best!

 What are some improvements you would like to see in the sport?

As far as improving the sport, you can never have too many former “stars” returning to the sport as coaches, organizers and administrators. I’d like to see more of the athletes who gained so much from the sport, returning to it (after their prime years) in support roles to help the current studs/studettes!

What are some things you would say to a person who wants to start with the sport?

To someone thinking about becoming a distance runner, I would emphasize to them that this is a hard sport. Success depends on one’s ability and willingness to suffer. It isn’t for everyone. But it is the “Hard” that makes it special.

What keeps you in the sport?

As long as fiery-eyed, young “dream chasers” keep knocking on my door, I’ll keep opening that door for as long as I can be of help to them. That’s what keeps me coaching. As far as directing the JFK 50 Mile, I want goal-oriented individuals to have the opportunity of the same JFK 50 Mile experience that changed my life, available to them for centuries to come.

What would say today to a young Mike Spinnler?

Keep getting up every time you fall. Keep brushing away the tears when you fail. Appreciate and recognize those who help you get to heights you dream of getting to. And then try to “Enjoy The Ride!”

What do you want the reader to know about Mile Spinnler?

I’d like the reader to know that I am nothing without my wife, business partner, coaching associate and best friend — the amazing Maria Pazarentzos-Spinnler.

The following are a few comments from those who know Spinnler.

“Mike is the quintessential sportsman. He wants to excel and wants everyone around him to be their best. He supports everyone in their quest to see what they can do in running and track and field. So many people have benefited from Mike’s great work and effort. But better than all that, he is a great friend and has been my friend for 50 years,” stated Chris Fox.

“I only know Mike through the JFK 50 race and have followed him on Facebook for many years. I know he was a gifted runner and an excellent coach based on the successes he has had with his many athletes. After he took over the JFK race, he did an excellent job as the race director and he was always a great guy to talk to,” said Joe Lugiano, JFK 1750 Mile Club with 10 finishes. His best time is 8:15:18 (1990).  

Joe added:

“As I am sure you are aware, Buzz Sawyer was director of the JFK 50 Miler and kept it going for the first 30 years. Around that time, he felt it was time to find a younger person to direct the race.  Mike Spinnler won the event in 1982 with a course record time of 5:53:05 and defended his title with a win in 1983 as well. He finished the JFK ten times between 1971 – 1988.

“Mike became the race director in 1993 and has been doing a great job of keeping it going for over 30 years now. In more recent years, he has delegated some of the behind-the-scenes work to a race management team. But he is mainly responsible for the race becoming well known and attracting runners from many states in the U.S. and internationally. He has amazing enthusiasm and attention to detail.

“On a personal note, in December Mike took the time and effort to nominate me to be inducted into the Washington County Sports Hall of Fame. That happened a few weeks ago in July. It was a special evening, with family members and friends there too.”

Carolyn Showalter​, JFK 1750 Mile Club, 36 finishes with a best time of 7:38:00 (1991). Four-time winner (1985-1989)

“When I first think of Mike, I think of how passionate he is about our sport and helping others get better at their running. But I’ve come to learn. Mike does not just give his time to runners to help them achieve their running goals, he also coaches them on how to be a better person. 

“I witnessed this frequently while Mike was working with his athletes. He does a great job at telling stories about former athletes and friends and how they not just succeeded in running, but life. You know Mike enjoys sharing his stories, but believe me, those listening find them captivating.

}There are other things that Mike does for the community, like supporting local races and volunteering his time, but I put his true coaching and mentoring as his “top” attribute.”

Barry Holder

“After my first JFK finish in 1994 (finishing just under 7 hours and just outside the top 10) I sent Mike a “thank you” note. I wrote it on paper, put it in an envelope, stamped it, and sent it via the US Postal Service (email wasn’t a thing yet). Low and behold, he wrote back and encouraged me to keep training hard and to return to the JFK for another year. 

“People always ask me why I’ve returned to the JFK—28 finishes and counting. I’ll quip something about the unique course, the event’s age and history, or that it’s a race that takes place so near to where I grew up (Gaithersburg, MD). However, the reason I keep returning is the race director himself. Since that first communiqué Pink has been an ardent supporter of both my and Emily’s (my wife) running goals. He invites us back each year and thinks of us as family. He’ll sometimes call me his adopted son.

“Pink was at the finish line in 2004 when I finished less than a minute behind the winner, Paul South. He hugged me and knew how hard I had fought that day. He was there to see Emily cross the mat first, twice. By allowing us the honor of acting as the event’s official coaching sponsor, he has shown significant support for our coaching company—there’s immense trust in that designation.

“Emily and I look forward to pre-race Fridays, where we get to sneak back to the secret and locked room where Spinnler holds court. He meets and greets runners and supporters, like us, who have come to Hagerstown to carry on the JFK tradition for another year. If and when Pink stands down as JFK’s RD, that’ll be a tough day for me to handle. Our sport has changed so much over the past 30 years, but JFK is that one obelisk in my ultra world that hasn’t varied. Every year I’m lucky enough to set foot on the same course and see the same hardworking and dedicated RD at the helm.”  

Ian Torrence, JFK 1250 Mile Club, 28 finishes with a best time of 6:09:27 (1999).  

“In 2012, I ran my first JFK 50. Mike Spinnler’s love of the JFK 50 was apparent from the start. His encyclopedic knowledge of JFK 50 history is amazing, and he has a very vast knowledge of all things JFK 50. His stories are most entertaining, and if you spend 10 minutes with him, you will always walk away with a new piece of race history.

“Mike’s passion for JFK also shines through on his race team. Great people surround themselves with other great people, and his race team is top-notch. It’s great to come back year after year and see familiar faces.

“Everyone who runs the JFK 50 and gets the chance to meet Mike Spinnler, will never forget it.”

Emily Harrison Torrence

“Dedicated to the JFK 50 mile whether as a runner and now as a race director. Continuing in the tradition of Buzz Sawyer. The same characteristics that made him a champion at the JFK have served him well as race director – a passion to overcome any obstacle.

“PS and a tremendous memory for dates and times, for the JFK participants.” 

 Fred Schumacher, JFK 1750 Mile Club, 37 finishes with a best time of 9:57:14 (1984).  

“Since the race began 62 years ago 31,882 runners have crossed the finish line. There have been thousands who had the aspirations to be in those numbers and for a variety of reasons they did not make the cut. Yes, I did fall twice, and I failed 4 out of 11 attempts.”

Final Words: To make it through the event is a life changing. Visit https://www.jfk50mile.org/details/

Categories: Athlete Profiles

Tags: 2024, featured, George Banker