I am checking my notes from Don Burnham, who said he trained with Gunder Hagg in 1943, before the New York races. Burnham came to New Hampshire because it was said to resemble the Swedish climate, and due to the influence of coach Harry Hillman. I was also researching whether this is the beginning of “fartlek” speed-play, in the U.S. Hillman is quoted in the text. Burnham went on to win the 1943 NCAA but missed the Olympics due to the war. The Hillman quote approximates thusly: “Will Hägg in the form in this way, then I understand not give a hoot on sports training. On the way, I’ve been at it for almost 50 years with the matter. ” Not giving a “hoot” sounds like fartlek to me, eh? There’s also an English language book about Hagg’s U.S. tour, including a copy at Dartmouth,

Gunder Hägg in U.S.A., summer 1943. A record of his tour, by Gerhard Rooth.

some footage, and mention in Stars and Stripes. A clip from the Milwaukee newspaper says that Burnham won one of the races in the tour, or maybe the collegiate version of such. (And would you believe that I got to this because of my jokes about Dartmouth alumna Mindy Kaling and the potentially raunchy meaning of “wah–hoo-wah”? But I also have Harry Hillman’s scrap book from 1899-1910 or so, which includes a clipping from Glenn Cunningham at Dartmouth in 1939 running a world-record indoor 4:04.04, which prompted my contacting Burnham and one other athlete from that era, plus a brief note from Everett Koop, M.D.)

The Milwaukee clip, a sort of year in review, says that the first race was June 20 at New York’s Triborough stadium and that there were other races in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“Under-Gunder” is a Swedish version of the American/English “Gunder the Wonder” — under is a pun meaning both “with” (but not “below” in our sense”) and “marvel”. I would guess that my Webster’s Ninth will link the etymology of “wonder” to “under”.

“Badgear” as I see it, is a wordpress blog by a Swedish man, his training log, as he is trying to lose weight. He occasionally researches and writes about Gunder Hagg, which is why the search-injuns suggested we meet. My into above shows up on his blog as “comments” although he could disable it.

Burnham died a few years ago, but I saved his letters, and my notes. I’ve had Hillman’s Olympic scrapbook since 2002.