Tom Derderian Author of The Boston Marathon

The Total Tutor will interview om Derderian, author of The Boston Marathon: A Celebration of the World’s Premier Race.

om Derderian (1949-) is a coach, author and journalist. As a high school senior in Milford, he was accepted to Boston University, Northeastern, and UMass. Having won his school conference championship in the mile, he was a credible candidate for a spot on the cross-country and track teams at any of the three, but chose University of Massachusetts in Amherst and graduated in 1973 with a degree in English Literature and Journalistic Studies. He ran on the varsity track and cross country teams there. He ran a 4:25 mile and competed in the steeplechase.[1]
A running success both on and off the roads, Tom's accomplishments include running in the Olympic trials in both 1972 and 1976, numerous New England road championships, a 2:19:04 Boston Marathon in 1975.
Derderian was in third place at the the 1981 Portsmouth (NH) Marketplace 10K, with the first two runners out of sight. When he came to an unmarked intersection, he took a wrong turn and brought a large pack of several hundred runners off course with him adding about two minutes to the course. The pack approached the finish line from the wrong direction, and the race officials had to reverse the finish line after the first two runners finished.[2]
Derderian worked for Nike in the 1970s and 80s in product development and design. He earned several U.S. patents for his creative work in footwear and apparel.
Tom Derderian has been cross-country chairman for the USA Track and Field New England Association and vice president of the organization. Tom is a senior writer for New England Runner magazine. His work has appeared in Runner's World, Running Times, Marathon and Beyond, Track and Field News, and other running publications.