Sy Mah
Encyclopedia
Thian K. "Sy" Mah was an assistant professor of physical education
at the University of Toledo
and a Canadian long-distance runner who held a Guinness World Records
mark for the most lifetime marathon
s (524).
in 1926. English
was his native language and he did not speak Mandarin, but he was able to write his Chinese
name. He earned an arts degree from the University of Alberta
in 1952, a physical education degree from McMaster University
in 1960, a bachelor of education
from the University of Toronto
in 1962, and a masters degree in education from the University of Toronto around 1970. Mah taught in Ontario
from 1955 to 1970. From 1970 to 1988, he also established and taught exercise and cardiac rehabilitation classes at the University of Toledo where he was a physical education instructor.
Mah joined the Chinese Association of Greater Toledo in 1970 and later served as its program director
.
that ran in his family. In 1964, he formed the Metro Toronto Fitness Club with three others, and later started the North York Track Club where he coached Maureen Wilton
. That club was considered one of the best in North America and Wilton was one of its star athletes.
Mah and the 13-year-old Wilton both ran their debut marathons on May 6, 1967 at York University
in Toronto, Ontario. Wilton ran the first three laps of the five lap course with Mah and she went on to finish in a time of 3:15:23, a performance recognized as a world best
by the International Association of Athletics Federations
. Invited by Mah, Kathrine Switzer
also ran that day – only sixteen days after her historic run at the Boston Marathon
.
Mah ran the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio
numerous times, his first at the inaugural event in 1971. By 1977, he completed his 100th marathon there with a 3:18:18 performance. Three years at the same race, his tenth on the Glass City course, Mah posted his 173rd. In 1981, Mah ran his 198th marathon to break the record for most marathons set by Ted Corbitt
. When possible, race directors would issue bib numbers to match his marathon total. He would later run his 300th in Detroit (1983), his 400th in Virginia (1986), and his 500th in Boston (1988). The 1984 New York City Marathon
was Mah's 348th marathon and 35th of the year. At least one race director scheduled back-to-back marathons on Saturday and Sunday to help him add to his totals. Mah ran the Boston Marathon twenty times and was a regular participant in ultramarathon
s and triathlons as well as cross country skiing and canoe
races.
In recognition of his role in promoting the sport of distance running, he was invited to participate in the 152-mile Spartathlon
in Greece
. Although he did not finish the event, he was publicly honored by the Greeks for "his love of competition". Mah's personal best over the marathon distance was 3:13, however, he felt he could go faster if determined to do so. Hal Higdon
commented that he believed Mah was capable of running a marathon under three hours if he trained for a specific race.
Mah's last race was a 50 kilometer
event Labour Day
weekend, 1988, in St. Jacobs, Ontario
; he dropped out of the Toronto Marathon
three weeks later. Mah's record would last until 1994 when broken by Norm Frank of Rochester, New York
.
, Mah died of leukemia
at the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center
in Toledo, Ohio in 1988. Following his death, he was a subject of a case report
that appeared in the May 1991 issue of the medical journal
Chest
. According to that report, Mah received a cardiac stress test
nine months prior to his death which found "ischemia with disseminated
circadian variation suggesting possible [coronary vasospasm
] without angina
." Autopsy
revealed localized fibrosis
of the left papillary muscles, but no evidence of coronary atherosclerosis.
Mah has been described as "an early leader of the modern running boom". Joe Henderson
wrote an editorial in tribute to Mah in 1989. According to Henderson, Mah stated: "I believe Americans have been brainwashed with the idea that they must do less because increased age will result in less energy and diminished capacity. I have found this is simply not true if a person does not allow his mind to accept the traditional view of aging."
Along with Dick Beardsley
, Herb Lorenz, and Harold Tinsley, Mah was a 1989 inductee of the Road Runners Club of America
's Hall of Fame.
The Sy Mah Memorial Scholarship at the University of Toledo was established in 1990 by Mah's friend and family. In addition to meeting various academic standards, qualified recipients within the College of Health Science and Human Service are required to be "avid social runners". A portion of the proceeds from the annual Glass City Marathon go to fund this award. Participants in that race pass by a life-size statue of Mah that was dedicated September 13, 2002 in Olander Park in Sylvania, Ohio
. The statue was created by Thomas Lingeman, a Professor of Art at the University of Toledo, who was commissioned by the Toledo Road Runners Club.
At the annual Sri Chinmoy
24-Hour Race in Ottawa, Canada, the Sy Mah Award is given to the runner who completes at least 100 miles and runs the most even 50-mile splits. The wood-carved trophy is shaped to resemble an hourglass
symbolizing Mah's "balance and steadiness".
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
at the University of Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
and a Canadian long-distance runner who held a Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
mark for the most lifetime marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
s (524).
Eary life, education, and career
The son of a Chinese immigrant family, Mah was born in Bashaw, AlbertaBashaw, Alberta
Bashaw is a town in central Alberta located at the junction of Highway 21 and Highway 53. Formerly one of the most recognizable sources of cheese production in Alberta, the Bashaw cheese plant has been closed since the spring of 2002.-Demographics:...
in 1926. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
was his native language and he did not speak Mandarin, but he was able to write his Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
name. He earned an arts degree from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in 1952, a physical education degree from McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in 1960, a bachelor of education
Bachelor of Education
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1962, and a masters degree in education from the University of Toronto around 1970. Mah taught in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
from 1955 to 1970. From 1970 to 1988, he also established and taught exercise and cardiac rehabilitation classes at the University of Toledo where he was a physical education instructor.
Mah joined the Chinese Association of Greater Toledo in 1970 and later served as its program director
Program director
In service industries, such as education, a program director or programme director researches, plans, develops and implements one or more of the firm's professional services...
.
Running
Mah, described as "an ordinary runner of ordinary speed", did not begin running marathons until he was 40. He reportedly took up the sport to prevent heart diseaseHeart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
that ran in his family. In 1964, he formed the Metro Toronto Fitness Club with three others, and later started the North York Track Club where he coached Maureen Wilton
Maureen Wilton
Maureen "Moe" Wilton is a former Canadian long-distance runner who is well recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on May 6, 1967 with a time of 3:15:23 in Toronto, Canada...
. That club was considered one of the best in North America and Wilton was one of its star athletes.
Mah and the 13-year-old Wilton both ran their debut marathons on May 6, 1967 at York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
in Toronto, Ontario. Wilton ran the first three laps of the five lap course with Mah and she went on to finish in a time of 3:15:23, a performance recognized as a world best
Marathon world best progression
This list is a chronological progression of record times for the marathon. World records in the marathon are now ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations, the international governing body for the sport of athletics. Awaiting ratification, the IAAF world record for men is...
by the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
. Invited by Mah, Kathrine Switzer
Kathrine Switzer
Kathrine Switzer is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. She entered and completed the race in 1967, five years before women were officially allowed to compete in it. Her finishing time of approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes was nearly an hour behind the first female...
also ran that day – only sixteen days after her historic run at the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
.
Mah ran the Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
numerous times, his first at the inaugural event in 1971. By 1977, he completed his 100th marathon there with a 3:18:18 performance. Three years at the same race, his tenth on the Glass City course, Mah posted his 173rd. In 1981, Mah ran his 198th marathon to break the record for most marathons set by Ted Corbitt
Ted Corbitt
Ted Corbitt was an American long-distance runner and an official of running organizations. Corbitt is often called "the father of long distance running." He was an ultramarathon pioneer, helping to revive interest in the sport in the United States in the 1960s and 70s...
. When possible, race directors would issue bib numbers to match his marathon total. He would later run his 300th in Detroit (1983), his 400th in Virginia (1986), and his 500th in Boston (1988). The 1984 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
was Mah's 348th marathon and 35th of the year. At least one race director scheduled back-to-back marathons on Saturday and Sunday to help him add to his totals. Mah ran the Boston Marathon twenty times and was a regular participant in ultramarathon
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
s and triathlons as well as cross country skiing and canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
races.
In recognition of his role in promoting the sport of distance running, he was invited to participate in the 152-mile Spartathlon
Spartathlon
Spartathlon is a ultramarathon race held annually in Greece since 1983 between Athens and Sparta.-Origin:The Spartathlon aims to trace the footsteps of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Although he did not finish the event, he was publicly honored by the Greeks for "his love of competition". Mah's personal best over the marathon distance was 3:13, however, he felt he could go faster if determined to do so. Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon is an American writer and runner. He has contributed to Runner's World magazine longer than any other writer. He is the author of 34 books, including the best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide...
commented that he believed Mah was capable of running a marathon under three hours if he trained for a specific race.
Mah's last race was a 50 kilometer
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is any sporting event involving running longer than the traditional marathon length of .There are two types of ultramarathon events: those that cover a specified distance, and events that take place during specified time...
event Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
weekend, 1988, in St. Jacobs, Ontario
St. Jacobs, Ontario
The community of St. Jacobs is located in southwest Ontario, just north of Waterloo in Woolwich Township, Waterloo Region. It is a popular location for tourism, due to its Mennonite heritage and retail focus. The Conestogo River, which powered the village's original gristmill, runs through the...
; he dropped out of the Toronto Marathon
Toronto Marathon
The Toronto Marathon, held annually in May, is a race from Mel Lastman Square, in the north end of Toronto, to Queen's Park. The race was initially called the Canadian International Marathon, and was first held in 1995 under its current organizer. The origins of the event trace back to 1977. In...
three weeks later. Mah's record would last until 1994 when broken by Norm Frank of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
Death and legacy
Following a lingering bout of hepatitisHepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
, Mah died of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
at the St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center
St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center was the first hospital in Toledo, Ohio and is part of Mercy Health Partners.Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center , established in 1855, is the critical care regional referral and teaching center within the Mercy Health Partners system, a seven hospital faith-based...
in Toledo, Ohio in 1988. Following his death, he was a subject of a case report
Case report
In medicine, a case report is a detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient. Case reports may contain a demographic profile of the patient, but usually describe an unusual or novel occurrence....
that appeared in the May 1991 issue of the medical journal
Medical journal
A public health journal is a scientific journal devoted to the field of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, and health care . Public health journals, like most scientific journals, are peer-reviewed...
Chest
Chest (journal)
Chest is a scientific medical journal published by the American College of Chest Physicians on the subject of chest diseases and related issues . The 2008impact factor is 5.154. The journal has a circulation of some 21,000 copies. Editor in chief is Richard S. Irwin....
. According to that report, Mah received a cardiac stress test
Cardiac stress test
Cardiac stress test is a test used in medicine and cardiology to measure the heart's ability to respond to external stress in a controlled clinical environment....
nine months prior to his death which found "ischemia with disseminated
Disseminated disease
Disseminated disease refers to a diffuse disease process, generally either infectious or neoplastic, but sometimes also referring to connective tissue disease....
circadian variation suggesting possible [coronary vasospasm
Coronary vasospasm
Coronary vasospasm is a form of vasospasm affecting the coronary circulation.It can cause Prinzmetal's angina.It can occur in multiple vessels.Atropine has been used to treat the condition....
] without angina
Angina
Angina pectoris, commonly known as angina, is chest pain due to ischemia of the heart muscle, generally due to obstruction or spasm of the coronary arteries . Coronary artery disease, the main cause of angina, is due to atherosclerosis of the cardiac arteries...
." Autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
revealed localized fibrosis
Fibrosis
Fibrosis is the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue in a reparative or reactive process. This is as opposed to formation of fibrous tissue as a normal constituent of an organ or tissue...
of the left papillary muscles, but no evidence of coronary atherosclerosis.
Mah has been described as "an early leader of the modern running boom". Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson (runner)
Joe Henderson is an American runner, running coach, writer, and former chief editor of Runner's World magazine. He currently writes for Marathon & Beyond magazine, and since 1982, a weekly column entitled "Joe Henderson's Running Commentary"...
wrote an editorial in tribute to Mah in 1989. According to Henderson, Mah stated: "I believe Americans have been brainwashed with the idea that they must do less because increased age will result in less energy and diminished capacity. I have found this is simply not true if a person does not allow his mind to accept the traditional view of aging."
Along with Dick Beardsley
Dick Beardsley
Dick Beardsley is an American long-distance runner best known for his close finish with Alberto Salazar in the 1982 Boston Marathon.-Running career:...
, Herb Lorenz, and Harold Tinsley, Mah was a 1989 inductee of the Road Runners Club of America
Road Runners Club of America
Founded in 1958, the Road Runners Club of America is the oldest and largest distance running organization in the United States with over 1500 running club and event members representing 200,000 individual runners active in their running communities...
's Hall of Fame.
The Sy Mah Memorial Scholarship at the University of Toledo was established in 1990 by Mah's friend and family. In addition to meeting various academic standards, qualified recipients within the College of Health Science and Human Service are required to be "avid social runners". A portion of the proceeds from the annual Glass City Marathon go to fund this award. Participants in that race pass by a life-size statue of Mah that was dedicated September 13, 2002 in Olander Park in Sylvania, Ohio
Sylvania, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,670 people, 7,151 households, and 5,070 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,223.2 people per square mile . There were 7,392 housing units at an average density of 1,276.2 per square mile...
. The statue was created by Thomas Lingeman, a Professor of Art at the University of Toledo, who was commissioned by the Toledo Road Runners Club.
At the annual Sri Chinmoy
Sri Chinmoy
Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, also known as Sri Chinmoy was an Indian spiritual teacher, poet, artist and athlete who immigrated to the U.S. in 1964., the founder of the religious organization "Sri Chinmoy Centre Church, Inc." better known as "Sri Chinmoy Centre"...
24-Hour Race in Ottawa, Canada, the Sy Mah Award is given to the runner who completes at least 100 miles and runs the most even 50-mile splits. The wood-carved trophy is shaped to resemble an hourglass
Hourglass
An hourglass measures the passage of a few minutes or an hour of time. It has two connected vertical glass bulbs allowing a regulated trickle of material from the top to the bottom. Once the top bulb is empty, it can be inverted to begin timing again. The name hourglass comes from historically...
symbolizing Mah's "balance and steadiness".