Rodgers master of his own fate this year

DOVER, Mass. Bill Rodgers is used to being the perennialhometown favorite in the Boston Marathon. On Monday, the 40-year-oldRodgers again could find himself the top American in the nation'soldest footrace.

"It would be pretty funny," said Rodgers, chuckling at thethought of being the lead American in the race he dominated a decadeago. "It would be funny because I'm going to be quite a ways back."

Rodgers has turned his sights on the masters' title at Boston, aspecial category for over-40 runners. He also is gunning for BarryBrown's 2:15:15 American masters' record set in 1985.

But because 1988 is an Olympic year, the best Americans areexpected to bypass the prestige of Boston for the allure of goldoffered by the U.S. Olympic Trials. The men's trials are April 24 atthe New Jersey Waterfront Marathon and the women's trials May 1 atPittsburgh.

Any American with a chance at making the men's Olympic team willbe in New Jersey - not Boston. And that leaves the door wide openfor Rodgers, assuming he can still kick himself into high gear.

"I'm coming out of a real hole in the ground," said Rodgers, whorecently resolved a bitter financial dispute with the Bank of Bostonthat cost him his home in suburban Dover.

Rodgers ran a 2:20 marathon at Los Angeles in early March,placing second in his first marathon as a master. A series ofinjuries, heaped on top of his financial woes, hampered his trainingover the past few months.

"It's harder as I get older to recover," said Rodgers, who hasnotched 21 victories among his 48 marathon starts - including fourBoston and four New York City titles. He was the first American atBoston two years ago and the third American last year.

Money has always helped drive Bill Rodgers, and it's money thatmakes him salivate over this year's Boston Marathon. There is a$7,500 first prize for the top master, and a $7,500 bonus for toppingthe 2:19:04 masters' course record set in 1986 by Mick Hurd of GreatBritain.

"I think I can make it," said Rodgers, who since turning 40 hasregained some of the enthusiasm he showed in his early marathon days."I just want to win it, but by golly, if I feel good, I'm going to gofor it.

"This is the big change because Boston has really upped the anteand there is a course record purse," he said. "This is brand newstuff. It's treating the masters like the open division men andwomen. It's just time to do it."

Boston has assembled a top-quality international masters' field,including Sweden's durable Kjell Erik-Stahl, who has run 57 sub-2:20marathons, more than any other runner, including Rodgers.

Also running in the masters division are Great Britain's Hurd;returning masters' titlist David Clark of England; Poland's RyszardMarczak, masters winner at the 1987 New York City Marathon in2:19:49; a pair of swift Hungarians, Jazsef Bahinyecz and Ferenc Szekeres, and Larry Olsen ofMillis, Mass.

Admittedly quite out of reach for Rodgers this year is the$10,000 bonus being offered for the master who can break JackFoster's long-standing 2:11:19 record, set 14 years ago.

"But that may come," Rodgers said.