Running Today: Marathons and Ultra-Distance Events: Boston Marathon: Thomas Longboat

Thomas Longboat (Onondaga) winner of the 1907 Boston Marathon was known as the "Bronze Mercury". Longboat began running as a boy -- practicing by chasing cows (Nabokov, 1980). He was guided by another Six Nations runner, Bill Davis. Longboat's 1907 finishing time was: 2:24:24, setting a course record. He entered the 1908 Olympic Marathon but dropped out due to heat exhaustion.

For accounts of Longboat's career as a runner, see:

Boston Marathon: The History of the World's Premier Running Event by Tom Derderdian

Indian Running: Native American History & Tradition by Peter Nabokov

American Indian Sports Heritage by Joseph B. Oxendine