SLAUGHTER CREDITS BEING INJURY FREE FOR SUCCESS THIS YEAR
Charlie Slaughter, 50, of Parsippany, may not be exactly striking terror in the hearts of other men in his age division, but they do know they are probably running for second when he shows up. Slaughter, who moved into the category in early spring, is running away with the division wins at most every race that he has entered. He leads all three divisions of the USATF-NJ grand prixs in the M50 division.
“I’m doing well because I haven’t been injured,” he said. “In the last two or three years I’ve been running a little bit better,” said Slaughter. “It’s hard to believe but I’ve actually improved over each year.”
At the President’s Cup Night Race 5K in Millburn, which was run in perfect conditions this year, Slaughter notched a 17:59. It was a five year personal best and age graded at 80.8%.
Slaughter has been running since grade school. At Wayne Valley High School he was the captain of the cross country and track teams where he ran the mile in 4:35 and the half in 2:00.
“Now when I go to the track I can’t approach that kind of speed anymore.”
Slaughter only goes to the track one day a week and if he feels off he does not do the workout. He believes in giving his body a break whenever it signals it needs a rest.
“I take days off when I think I need to and I don’t run every day,” he said. “If I feel like I’m tired I just take the day off.”
“I only do 30 to 40 miles a week,” said Slaughter. “I do track once a week, one long run and race one day a week”
He takes off at least one day a week and sometimes two. The day before a race
He does not run. If he feels tired or sore he does not run.
“I think that’s the key,” he said. “To not force yourself to run every day. If I feel like something’s coming on like a hamstring or achilles I just don’t run, or I start running on grass again. That’s been the game plan this whole year.”
Running on grass is easy for Slaughter whose back yard is adjacent to the baseball fields and track at Parsippany High School. His favorite 10K is the Cherry Blossom. When he lived in Bloomfield it was a quick jog over to the park for a run.
Another favorite was the old Sunset Classic whose course was also his training course. He thinks it has lost its appeal since it was reorganized.
“It’s not as good as it used to be from way back when,” said Slaughter. “When Tom Fleming used to organize it they had the band, the beer and the pizza and the hot dogs. The big party on the tennis courts.”
Turning fifty meant Slaughter left behind some pretty impressive competition, like Randall White, Rick Pingitore, and Dan Murphy. Now his strongest competition has come from Bill Bosmann of Sparta. Bill Trengove of Wharton had looked like one to be reckoned with but Trengove has been off with an injury for several weeks. Having Bosmann to run against has been beneficial for both men.
“We’ve had some great competitive races,” said Slaughter. “We ran even at the Ridgewood race [Bosmann 18:19, Slaughter 18:23]. At the Midland Run I just lost him in the end. [Bosmann 1:00:09, Slaughter 1:00:31] That’s my weakness – the long races. We were back and forth at the Midland Run and he just got me by 20 seconds at the end.”
“I thought we would have a real big race at the President’s Cup but I never saw him," he said. “Bill had that little issue with heat exhaustion the week before.”
[Bosmann had dnf’d at the Sparta 8 mile race and was taken to the hospital.]
“I think we’re even in the shorter races but in the longer ones he’s got me,” said Slaughter. “He’s a marathoner but I’m not.”
Slaughter out ran Bosmann at the last race they both ran, the Summer Blast 5K in Rockaway this past Thursday. Slaughter bested Bosmann 18:15 to 18:47. Slaughter isn’t worried about the competition so much as keeping injury free.
“It’s also who doesn’t get injured,” he said. “That’s what it comes down to when you turn fifty. Can you run without being injured. That’s what I’ve been doing this year. Just trying to not be injured.”
Originally published in the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, Sunday, July 10, 2005
Copyright, Madeline Bost 2005