What can you say about a guy who has completed 24 marathons?  Pretty impressive.  How about finding out that he did not do his first until age 52!  We must be talking about Leroy "T-Pop" Derouen of New Iberia, an inspiration to several generations of runners.  Looking great at almost 81, I spoke with him recently.

T-Pop, is it true that you did not begin running until you were 52?

Yes.  George Reeves and I belonged to the gym on Admiral Doyle and one day we decided to run to the railroad tracks and back, 1.2 miles total.  I couldn't finish, I couldn't go 1.2!  Things took off from there.  At that time, the mid 70's, there were few other runners in New Iberia.  Jerry Simon is the only one I remember for sure.  My log books show over 35,000 total miles, but I ran for a while before I started keeping them.

What was your athletic background?

Boxing in high school, softball and baseball after that.  I played some semi-pro baseball, and competed in softball until age 42.

What are you doing these days for fitness?

Mostly walking.  I shut the running down a little while ago.  All of a sudden, I lost my wind.  Just couldn't seem to breathe like I used to.

But no injuries - feet, knees, ankles, etc?

No, everything else is fine.

Over your running career did you suffer many injuries?

No.  God's been very good to me.  My left ankle gave me trouble a couple of times, and led to my only marathon DNF, in Baton Rouge.  But overall, none to speak of.

What marathons have you run?

Greater New Orleans, Baton Rouge (several times), Bossier City, Crowley (twice), the Causeway (five times), Jackson (Mississippi), Dallas (twice), Houston, Pensacola (twice), Boston twice.

Favorite race?

Boston Marathon

Marathon PR?

3:21 at the Causeway Marathon - I missed the first one they had, but ran the next 5 in a row.

What sort of mileage did you run when you were training for marathons?

40-50 a week.  Six miles before work usually, maybe a mid-week 10 miler.  Long run on the weekend, 10 to 20 miles.

How many 20 milers before a marathon.  Three?

Yeah, usually three.

Leroy "T-Pop" Derouen, February 2007