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At
the start of the 20th century, Native Canadian Tom Longboat was
considered the fastest person who ever lived.
His
real name was “Cogwagee”,
and he lived most of his life with the Iroquois Six Nations near
Caledonia, southwest of Hamilton.
He
may have been the fastest person on earth, but by the end of the century,
most Canadians have long-forgotten the intriguing Legend of Cogwagee.
Forgotten by most, but the running community in Southern Ontario
knows Tom Longboat because they attend the Annual Longboat
Toronto Island 10Km. Some may have been inspired to also read "The
Man who Ran Faster than Everyone", written by Jack Batten.
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The
Legend of Cogwagee
Tom
Longboat was born on June 4, 1887. When Tom was a child he studied in
Onondaga and was a good student. When Tom was older, a Mohawk from
Ohsweken named Bill Davis convinced Tom to race. Bill raced successfully
all over southern Ontario, and in 1901, he finished 2nd in the Boston
Marathon.
In
1905 Tom began his racing with a 2nd place win at the Victoria
Day 5-Mile Race in Caledonia. Next year, Tom entered the Around
the Bay Race in Hamilton, and won by 3 minutes. Soon, he won the Ward
Marathon 15 mile Race in Toronto’s High Park, and the Christmas Day 10
Miler in Hamilton (now held on Boxing Day).
In
1907, Tom Longboat went to the Boston Marathon with the world-class
runners from the West End YMCA, and won the greatest victory of his life.
Not only did he win, but also he broke the record by 5 minutes, to finish
2:24:24.
His
quick rise to fame drew much attention, and he soon lost his amateur
status. He turned his attention to a long professional career where he
definitively proved himself to be the fastest person in history.
His
Legacy to Runners
The
endearing legacy of Cogwagee was his
training method. When he trained at the West End YMCA for the Boston
Marathon, his coaches did not understand the rhythm of hard workouts
followed by “active rest” such as long walks. When he was a
professional, these recovery periods annoyed his promoters and the sports
press often labelled him “lazy”.
They certainly didn’t understand the method, and they surely
resorted to this contemporary racial stereotype to explain what they
couldn’t grasp. Indeed, this training rhythm is obvious to most runners
today, but it all began when Tom Longboat ran for the West End YMCA in the
Boston Marathon of 1907.
The Tom Longboat Run at the
I.L. Thomas School near Caledonia.
The
Longboat Roadrunners Club stages an annual 10 Km race at Toronto Island in
September, but it is not yet well known that the Six Nations also stage a
“Tom Longboat Run”, organized by Cheryl
Henhawk at Parks and Recreation. This is a fun 10 Km run that fills
the local concession roads with runners, walkers and cyclists. The event
is scheduled annually on June 21st, Aboriginal
Solidarity Day, and is held at the I.L.
Thomas School, located at the 5th
Line and Cayuga Road near Caledonia. You can expect a well organized
and fun event that is designed to remind everyone that Tom Longboat lived
just a mile north on Cayuga Road, and trained on this route.
Meeting
Phyllis Winnie, the Daughter of Tom Longboat
There
is no mistaking it though; this event is steeped in Canadian History, and
it will take you closer to the Legend of Cogwagee than you can imagine.
Before the 9 AM run, the Woodlands
Cultural Centre displays Tom Longboat’s historic trophies, including
the famous Boston Marathon “Mercury”,
and the “Around
the Bay” trophy. While this has great historic significance, Cheryl
also introduces Phyllis
Winnie, the daughter of Tom Longboat, accompanied by her son Allen
Longboat, a well-liked teacher in the area.
I
had barely recovered from the thrill of seeing the trophies and meeting
the Longboat family, when the organizers dedicate the race with a prayer
spoken in Onondaga, one of the ancient languages of the Iroquois Six
Nations. After the address
from a local chief, the participants gathered
at the start line for the event. The weather was beautiful that day, and
being a city dweller, I really enjoyed the gentle rolling hills along the
concession roads. At about 5 miles, you will notice a sign showing the
location of the original Longboat homestead. Back at the school, I watched
the runners and cyclists
returning from the course, and chatted with the race organizers.
For
a local event, this race has a powerful historic significance for anyone
who knows the Legend of Tom Longboat. If you plan to attend next year,
remember that the event is always held on June 21st so you must
make special arrangements if it falls on a weekday. The opening ceremonies
start at 9 AM, but you should arrive earlier to view the trophies. To
travel by car from Toronto, the trip takes about 90 minutes, and from
Hamilton, it is only 30 minutes along highway 6. Note that the school
is 5 miles south west of Caledonia.
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