The Marathon Man

Running is a passion for David Edge, a British-born Canadian who was recently in Manila to preside in rites entrusting the responsibility of marketing Avia sports shoes and apparel to the Philippine rights holder by the parent American Sporting Goods Corp. of Irvine, California.

Edge, 48, has a runner’s look. He’s lean, healthy, and full of energy. There isn’t a day that passes without Edge logging 16 kilometers in his Avias. It’s something that’s become a part of his life, like waking up in the morning and sleeping at night. Life wouldn’t be the same for Edge if his daily regimen didn’t include running.

His job as Avia’s vice president for international business takes him all over the world. After a short or long flight, the first thing he does is to find a running path and put on his running shoes. He said running is his medicine to fight jet lag.

What’s surprising is despite his uncompromising regimen, Edge swore his knees aren’t creaky and his ankles are as sturdy as ever. He doesn’t cross-train to tune up other muscles in his body. All he does is run and that’s good enough for him. If he’s not on the go, he’s on the run–in a sports sense.

A few days before flying into Manila, Edge was in Germany and Hungary. From Manila, he went to Singapore to confer with Avia’s other Southeast Asian partners.

What about his diet? Edge said he eats anything but always in moderation–he never gorges. It shows in his slender frame. He avoids fatty foods but sometimes, indulges. The way I size him up, he burns whatever he consumes anyway so it doesn’t matter what he eats.

Edge was here for five days. Last Saturday, he spoke at the Avia press launch in the Podium and handed over the gold shoe–on a gold platter, no less–to Jerry Go, representing Avia Philippines, in the formal turnover proceedings. The ceremony is called the "entrustment of responsibilities."

In his remarks, Edge explained what makes Avia different from other sports shoes in the market and why he’s confident of the Filipino market’s positive response to the brand. He said in 1979, the father-and-son team of Jerry and Don Stubblefield of Oregon conceptualized Avia and designed a technologically-advanced system that guaranteed each pair of shoes to be lightweight, comfortable, durable and extraordinary. Edge noted that Avia’s unique "ecto cantilever" design was its competitive advantage. The "cantilever" design centers the heel over a conclave sole to soften impact, stabilize the foot and provide an energy lift.

Edge said Avia’s shoe line extends from running to basketball to aerobics to walking–covering a wide range of competition and leisure footwear.

Edge was ranked fifth in the marathon world in 1985. He wore the Canadian colors at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Edge finished fourth in the 1984 Boston Marathon, sixth in the 1985 London Marathon and 10th in the 1986 London Marathon.

Edge confessed he didn’t figure prominently in the Olympics. In 1984, he placed 81st of 107 marathoners. Carlos Lopez of Portugal captured the gold medal. Highly-touted Alberto Salazar was 15th. Filipino Leonardo Illut was 77th. In 1988, Edge was 67th of 118 runners. Gelindo Bordin of Italy took the gold in Seoul.

Edge met his match–and his wife Carey May–at the 1983 World Championships. "She got lucky and met me," he said.

Carey is known as the "First Lady of Irish Marathon." She competed in the 1984 Olympics, finishing 28th in the endurance race. A five-time All-American trackster in cross-country and distance running at Brigham Young University, Carey set school and Irish records by placing second in the 10,000-meter run with a clocking of 33:04.23 in a 1983 national varsity competition. The next year, she was timed in at 32:51.23.

In 1983, Carey topped the Osaka Ladies Marathon at 2:29.23–becoming the first to finish under 2:30 in an all-women’s race–and the Toronto Marathon at a course record 2:36.07. In 1985, she won her second Osaka title with a clocking of 2:28.07.

The Edge couple is blessed with two children, a boy and a girl.

Several luminaries showed up at the Avia press launch last Saturday. Ginebra coach Allan Caidic attended with players Jun Limpot, Bal David, Mark Caguioa and Rob Johnson, among others. Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit, Asia’s queen of track Lydia de Vega, Gov. Tony Leviste and Star executive vice president Grace Glory Go came, too. Actress Aubrey Miles sang and danced during the launch show, which was opened and closed by rousing cheerleaders from the School of St. Anthony.

Avia couldn’t have found a more credible spokesman than the Marathon Man whose edge is simply being David Edge.