‘Marathon man’ Boogerd
By Susan Westemeyer
Retired pro Michael Boogerd has changed his passion from cycling to running. “I am fanatical for running,” he told the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. Boogerd is starting his running season with the City Pier City Loop, a half-marathon in Den Haag on March 15, to be followed by the Rotterdam marathon on April 13. His ultimate goal? “I want to run in the New York marathon this year.”
He explained his new interest this way: “After my retirement as a cyclist, I needed a new goal. I mean, a cycling race isn’t really a challenge for me any more, is it? For this reason, I am running. But I am not training as much as I did for cycling. It has to be fun.”
Boogerd is following in the footsteps of other cyclists-turned-runners like Abraham Olano, Laurent Jalabert and Lance Armstrong. Does he think he can beat the seven-time Tour de France champion? “We will see, but I am not really aiming to become the best former cyclist. However, I know that Lance’s fastest time in a marathon is about 2 hours and 47 minutes. As a matter of fact, he is not the fastest former cyclist in the marathon. That is Abraham Olano, with a time of 2.35. It will be hard to try and meet that time.”
I have always been a big fan of Boogerd. He was for me, the last connection with the previous generation of cycling greats from the early 90’s. He was always a very aggressive bike racer, but also when needed the consumate team-man as well. In so many races be they one day classics or big stage races, he would put himself in the winning break, only to be thwarted in the end, in the sprint or some other tactical move. Sometimes he did win.
I think that he will be a good runner. He’s lean and relativly thin.
Yeah, but can he swim;)
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LOL I guess he needed something new to sink his teeth in to.
Very insightful analysis. I remember when Boogard was racing thinking how a lean and relatively thin guy stood out in the peloton 
Styrrell
I am a huge fan of Boogerd’s. He was the ultimate domestique. He was told what to do and he did it. I look forward to watching him run, I miss the teeth.