Bill Tobin
They say that fine wines improve with age and Bill Tobin is proof that fine athletes can do the same.
Bill ran track at New Castle High in 1957 and 1958, before graduating from Sharon High School. But it was later in life that he developed into a world class age-group runner.
In 1982, he set the fastest marathon mark for a Mercer County resident with a time of 2 hours, 37 minutes, 37 seconds in a Charlotte, Va. event. He established western Pa. distance marks in the 10,000 meters in races in Mercer, Butler and Franklin at ages 46 through 49.
He established 10,000 Masters records in Greenville, Butler, Mercer, Monroeville, Pittsburgh, Erie and New Wilmington races between the ages if 44 and 49.
He set half-marathon marks (ages 46-49) in three Bavarian Fun Fest races in Sharon as well as the Presque Isle race in Erie between 1955 and 1988. He also set marathon single-age marks twice in Pittsburgh, ages 47-48, and Erie, 49. He posted a 2:41.42 in Pittsburgh in 1986.
From ages 44-48 (1983-87) he established male masters all-time best marathon times at races in Washington, Deluth, Pittsburgh, Charlotte and again in Pittsburgh. His fastest mark in those races was at the Grandma?s Marathon in Deluth, where he clocked a 2:34:04.
In the 1981 Boston Marathon, he ran a 2:36.10 to finish in 21st place. Among other accomplishments were: Charlotte Marathon Masters course record (2:37:42), 1982; 4 division first places at Cleveland Revco Marathon; 1983 3-man team winner at Marine Corps Marathon, Washington, with Saul DePofi and Pat Longley; 3-time Masters winner at International Peace Race, Youngstown; 3-time Mercer County Triple Crown winner; 1981 and 1982 "Runner of the Year" awarded by Perpetual Motion Running Club; ranked 34th in the USA by Runners Magazine Masters Division.
He won a TAC National Masters Championship at 50 miles (5:31:38), setting a course record and USA Masters Age Group record. He completed in 6 Ultra Marathons (50 miles), winning 4. He has written articles for running magazines. He continues to run, while also playing handball at the Buhl Community Recreation Center (former F.H. Buhl Club) and playing golf. Bill served as a supervisor at the Buhl Rec Center and works on the staff of the Tri-State PGA Section, helping director tournaments for club pros, and with the Avalon golf group.