Posted: May 31, 2006

Athletics: Bob Sevene to Retire From Big Sur Distance Project

From David Monti

© 2006 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

Bob Sevene, the coach best known for helping Joan Benoit Samuelson win the first Olympic Marathon gold medal for women, has decided to retire from his position at the Big Sur Distance Project at the end of this season. He is in his 37th year of coaching.

Sevene ran at Alfred University until he was recruited into the Army in 1968, where he served as a captain and was awarded three purple hearts and a silver star. He got into coaching at his high school alma mater, Waltham High, and later returned to Alfred University to pursue a Master’s degree in Education. Upon graduation, he was offered the Head Coaching job at Bentley College where he coached from 1978 to 1982 and received Cross Country and Track and Field Coach of the Year Honors. His success led to his recruitment by Nike in 1980 to start Athletics West on the East coach in 1980. The team was eventually moved to Eugene, Ore., where Sevene headed the team. Athletics West quickly became one of the most dominant track and field clubs in the world and placed 23 athletes on the 1984 Olympic Team. Between the years of 1981 and 1986, it’s members won 53 individual national titles and held 11 American road race records. It was during this time that he coached Joan Benoit Samuelson to a gold medal in the inaugural Women’s Olympic Marathon. Her American marathon record stood for 19 years.

Eager to return to collegiate coaching, "Sev" relocated to Bruswick, Me., to be Head Coach at Bowdin College. One of his favorite coaching experiences, Sevene was again recognized for his talent and received Cross Country Coach of the year Honors for Division III. During this time, he was also making weekly trips to Boston to coach Nike Boston athletes.

In 1987, he left Maine for Boston to work exclusively with Nike Boston as Head Coach and East Coast Promotions Coordinator. Under his leadership, Nike Boston qualified 12 athletes for the 1988 Olympic Trials and won two National Cross Country Men’s titles. Frustrated with the lack of opportunities for post-collegiate runners, Sevene and good friend, Bill Clark, began the Metrowest track series which has since evolved into the Boston High Performance Track Series held at Bentley College.

From 1991 to 1994 Sevene worked as Head Coach of the Boston Athletic Association presiding over the training of about 100 athletes. In 1992 the BAA qualified nine athletes for the Olympic Trials. Two of his athletes, Gwynn Coogan and Cathy O’Brien, made the Olympic Marathon team.

In 1995 Sevevene established a new post-collegiate running club called Reebok Boston. It's athletes dominated the New England running scene and produced great standouts such as Jenessa Eddins, Darrin Shearer, Jason Cullinane, Sandu Rubinciuc, Kristen Chisum and Jen Toomey to name a few.

In July of 2003, Sevene jumped at the chance to coach a new post-collegiate club based in Marina, Calif., eventually to be called Big Sur Distance Project.

"I think it is pretty amazing when one person can change your life, and he has done just that for me," said Blake Russell, a Reebok-sponsored athlete who runs under Sevene at Big Sur. "Anyone that runs for him is a better person because of it. Sev is the closest thing I have ever had to a training partner and probably believes in me more than I believe in myself. After watching him all these years, I have realized that coaching is such a unique art. His knowledge, intensity, dedication, patience, and special spark are what make him so successful. Of course, his funny Joanie stories or long-winded rants in a loud, raspy New England voice always make for fun practice sessions."

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