- Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is a long distance track and road running athlete born as one of ten children in Asella, Arsi Province, Ethiopia. He is considered by many to be one of the best distance runners of all time, having broken 24 world records and won numerous Olympic and World Championship titles. - Paula Radcliffe
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE (born December 17, 1973) is a British long-distance runner. She is the current world record holder for the women's marathon, which she set during the 2003 London Marathon, with a time of 2:15.25. This mark is currently the highest scoring performance ever, in terms of IAAF world ranking points, at 1307, higher in value than Florence Griffith-Joyner's 100 and 200m records, Marita Koch's 400m, and Michael Johnson's 400m record. - Steve Prefontaine
Steve Roland Prefontaine (commonly referred to as Pre by runners and fans) was an American Olympic runner born in Coos Bay, Oregon. Prefontaine was primarily a long distance runner, and at one point held the American record in every running event from the 2000 meters to the 10,000 meters. Prefontaine had one leg longer than the other (a common condition that does not affect running speed), … - Zhou Chunxiu
Zhou Chunxiu (born 15 November 1978 in Jiangsu) is a Chinese marathon runner. She finished fourth at the 2005 World Championships. She also competed at the 2004 Olympic Games, finishing in 33rd place. On April 22 2007, she won the Women's race at the London Marathon for the first time in a time of 2:20:38. Her personal best time is 2:19:51 hours, achieved in March 2006 in Seoul. - Paavo Nurmi
Paavo Johannes Nurmi (June 13, 1897 Turku - October 2, 1973 Helsinki) was a Finnish runner. He was known as one of the "Flying Finns"; a term given to him, Hannes Kolehmainen, Ville Ritola and others for their distinction in running. During the 1920s, Nurmi was the best middle and long distance runner in the world, setting world records on distances between 1500 m and 20 km. - Xing Huina
Xing Huina is a Chinese track and field athlete. Xing was born to family of farmers in Weifang, Shandong province. Standing 1.66 m tall and weighing 50 kg (110 lb), she began training at Weifang City Sport School, coached by Chi Yuzhai. She joined the Shandong Sport Technology Institute in 1999, coached by Yin Yanqin. She was selected into national team in 2002 after running 4:10.43 in 1500 m and 14:56.15 in 5000 m in 2001 Chinese National Games. - Dean Karnazes
Dean Karnazes (b. Constantine Karnazes August 23, 1962) (pronounced car-NAH-sis), is a Greek-American ultramarathon runner, and author of "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner" which details ultra endurance running for the general public. In 2004, Karnazes was named one of GQ's "Best Bodies of the Year". In 1995, Karnazes founded Energy Well Natural Foods in San Francisco and he remains president of the company, now called Good Health Natural Foods. - Paul Tergat
Paul Kibii Tergat (born June 17, 1969) is a Kenyan professional athlete. He is the current world record holder in the marathon, with a time of 2:04:55, and is regarded as one of the most accomplished long-distance runners of all time. Now concentrating exclusively on the marathon, Tergat won many titles and set several world records on the track, in cross country, and on the road. Nicknamed the "Gentleman," Tergat is extremely hard-working and self-motivated. - Frank Shorter
Frank Shorter (born October 31, 1947) is an American distance runner and winner of the marathon race at the 1972 Summer Olympics. Born in Munich, Germany, where his father, physician Samuel Shorter, served in the army, Frank Shorter grew up in Middletown, New York and attended and graduated from Mount Hermon School and Yale University. - Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele (born June 13, 1982, Ethiopia) is an Ethiopian distance runner. He won the gold medal in the 10,000 m and the silver in the 5,000 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He won the Gold in the 10,000 m at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics at Paris completing an Ethiopian sweep with Haile Gebrselassie(2nd) and Sileshi Sihine(3rd), and also won 10,000 m at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics (with Sileshi Sihine(2nd)). - Bill Bowerman
William J. Bowerman (born February 19, 1911 in Fossil, Oregon, died December 24, 1999) was an American track and field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc. He was a very successful track and field coach, having trained 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record-holders, 24 NCAA champions, and 16 sub-4 minute milers. During his 24 years as coach at the University of Oregon, the track and field team had a winning season every season but one, … - Bill Rodgers
William ("Bill") Henry Rodgers (b. December 23, 1947 in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American runner and former American record holder in the marathon who is best known for his victories in the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon in the late 1970s. Rodgers won both races four times each between 1975 and 1980, twice breaking the American record at Boston with a time of 2:09:55 in 1975 and a 2:09:27 in 1979. - Deena Kastor
Competing in her third Olympics in the marathon (Aug. 17), Deena is the top female distance runner in the United States. She took home the bronze medal in the women's marathon in Athens in 2004. The Agoura, CA, native now resides in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Deena Kastor was forced to withdraw during the women's marathon due to injury. - Ryan Hall
Ryan Hall (born October 14, 1982 in Big Bear Lake, California) is is an American track and cross-country athlete. - Alberto Salazar
Alberto Salazar (born August 7 1958 in Cuba) is an American marathon runner of the 1980s. Born in Cuba, Salazar immigrated to the United States with his family. They ultimately moved to Wayland, Massachusetts, where Salazar competed in track and field in high school. - Sun Yingjie
Sun Yingjie (born January 19, 1979 in Liaoning) is a famous Chinese female long-distance runner who competes from 5000 metres to marathon. She is the only Chinese female runner who raced in a number of famous marathons such as Boston, New York, Tokyo and London. Her front-running style in the races is always impressive. From 1997 to 2000, she mainly focused on marathon. - Alan Webb
Alan Webb (born January 13, 1983, in Ann Arbor, Michigan) is an American track athlete. He holds a personal best of 3:30.54 in the 1500m, making him the third fastest American of all time at that distance. He competes professionally for Nike. - Meb Keflezighi
Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (Ge'ez: መብራህቶም ክፍልእዝጊ "mebrāhtōm kifl'igzī", Tigrinya "their lamp, part of the Lord"; born May 5 1975 in Asmara, Eritrea province, Ethiopia, modern Eritrea) is an American athlete specializing in long distance running, especially marathons. He and his family were refugees from Eritrea via Italy to USA. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1998. - Joan Benoit
Joan Benoit Samuelson (born May 16, 1957) is an American former marathon runner who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the year that the women's marathon was introduced. As a result she was the first ever women's Olympic marathon champion. - Brendan Foster
Brendan Foster, MBE (born 12 January, 1948 in Hebburn, Tyne and Wear, England) is a British former distance runner, and the founder of the Great North Run. He was educated at St Joseph's Grammar School, the University of Sussex and Carnegie College of Physical Education, now part of Leeds Metropolitan University. Foster's athletic career saw him compete in three Olympic Games, … - Hal Higdon
Hal Higdon is an American writer and runner. He has contributed to Runner's World magazine longer than any other writer. He is the author of 34 books, including the best-selling "Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide". He has worked as a freelance writer since 1959, and has written a variety of subjects including a children's book that was made into an animated feature. He ran eight times in the United States Olympic Trials and won four world masters championships. - Hannes Kolehmainen
Juho Pietari "Hannes" Kolehmainen (December 9, 1889 - January 11, 1966) was a Finnish long-distance runner. He is considered to be the first of a generation of great Finnish long distance runners, often named the "Flying Finns". Kolehmainen, from a sportive family from Kuopio (his brothers Willy and Tatu were also strong long distance runners), was one of the stars of the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, winning three gold medals. - Abebe Bikila
Abebe Bikila (August 7, 1932 - October 25, 1973) was a two-time Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia. A stadium in Addis Ababa is named in his honor. - Lornah Kiplagat
Lornah Kiplagat (born in Nairobi, 1 May, 1974) is a Dutch long-distance runner who was born in Kenya. She has run for the Netherlands since 2003, after she gained Dutch citizenship in 1999. She is specialised not only in road running, she also runs track and field. Kiplagat was already running decent results when she still ran for Kenya. She was the first woman to win both the Falmouth Road Race and the Peachtree Road Race. - Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway, MA (b. July 12, 1945, Raleigh, North Carolina) is a former American Olympian widely known as the author of "Galloway's Book on Running", which is the best-selling running book in the United States. A lifetime runner, Galloway was an All-American collegiate athlete and a member of the 1972 US Olympic Team in the 10,000 meters. He remains a competitive athlete, continuing through a successful masters running career. - Catherine Ndereba
Catherine Ndereba (born July 31, 1972) is a world class Kenyan marathon runner. She broke the women's marathon world record in 2001, running 2h18:47 at the Chicago Marathon. She was the first woman to run under the 2 hour and 19 minute barrier, but this has since been broken by England's Paula Radcliffe. - Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba (born June 1, 1985 in Arsi, Ethiopia) is an Ethiopian long distance track athlete. Born in the village of Chefe, Tirunesh Dibaba is the cousin of the two-time Olympic, and world champion 10,000 m runner Derartu Tulu. Tirunesh was the 4th of 6 children and was raised in the high-altitude Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region. She moved to the capital, Addis Ababa, in 2000 and at the age of 14 began her athletics career. - Meseret Defar
Meseret Defar (born November 19, 1983 in Addis Ababa) is a female athlete from Ethiopia. She won gold in the women's 5000 metres at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens with a time of 14:45.65. She won a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, losing only to Tirunesh Dibaba. In 2006 she won the World Indoor Championships over 3000 metres, defending her title from the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships. - Tegla Loroupe
Tegla Loroupe (born May 9, 1973 in Kapsait, Kenya) is a long-distance track and road runner, and a global spokeswoman for peace, women's rights, and education. Loroupe holds the world records for 20, 25 and 30 kilometres and previously held the world marathon record. She has run farther in one hour than any woman in history. She is the three-time World Half-Marathon champion. She was the first African woman to win the New York City Marathon, which she has won three times. - Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz (October 1, 1953) is a former Norwegian marathon runner who won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988. She also won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland. - Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson (b. June 3, 1943, Peoria, Illinois) is an American runner, running coach, writer, and former chief editor of "Runner's World" magazine. He currently writes for "Marathon & Beyond" magazine, and since 1982, a weekly column entitled "Joe Henderson's Running Commentary". He has authored and coauthored more than two dozen books about the sport of running and fitness, including the best-selling "Marathon Training". - Craig Mottram
Craig Mottram is an Australian long distance and middle distance runner. Born on 18 June 1980 in Frankston, Victoria, Mottram specialises in the 5000 metres event. He attended the prestigious Geelong Grammar School. It is there that he found his niche in running and was captain of the school team in his year. On August 14, 2005, Mottram reached a career highlight, coming third in the 5000 metres event at the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, … - Liz McColgan
Liz McColgan, MBE (born March 24, 1964) is a former Scottish long distance track and road running athlete. Born Elizabeth Lynch, she was brought up in Dundee. She won the gold in the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan at 10,000 metres, and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. She also won a gold medal in the 1986 Commonwealth Games, and a silver medal in the Seoul Olympics in 1988. - Billy Mills
William ("Billy") Mills (born June 30, 1938) is the only American ever to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meter run which he did at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. That race has been called the greatest upset in Olympic history. Born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Billy Mills, a Native American (Oglala Lakota (Sioux)), was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He was orphaned at the age of 12. Mills took up running while attending the Haskell Institute, … - Steve Jones
Stephen ("Steve") Henry Jones (born August 4, 1955) is a Welsh athlete and former world marathon record holder. Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force. He began training for the marathon in 1983 and, up until then, his career had been focused on the 10,000m. In 1984, he ran his first competitive marathon in Chicago, coming in at 2h08m05s and thus breaking the world record of Australian Robert de Castella. - Martin Lel
Martin Lel (born October 29, 1978 in Kapsabet) is a Kenyan distance and marathon runner. He won the London Marathon in 2005 and 2007, and the New York City Marathon in 2003. His personal best time, as of 2006, was 2:06:41, in the 2006 London Marathon. Lel is coached by Gabriele Rosa and lives in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. Lel ran his first marathon in 2002, finishing second in the Venice Marathon - Kenny Moore
Kenneth ("Kenny") Clark Moore (born December 1, 1943 in Eugene, Oregon) is an American athlete and journalist. At the University of Oregon, Moore was one of Bill Bowerman's finest distance runners. After college, Moore ran in the Olympic marathon at both Mexico City and Munich. He failed to win a medal, however, finishing fourth in 1972. After his track career, Moore became a journalist and screenwriter. - Dathan Ritzenhein
Dathan Ritzenhein born December 30, 1982 in Grand Rapids, Michigan is an American track and cross-country athlete. He attended Rockford High School in Michigan and the University of Colorado in Boulder, and is arguably one of the greatest American hopes for distance running in the last 20 years. - Tom Longboat
Cogwagee (Thomas Longboat) (June 4, 1887-January 9, 1949) was an Onondaga distance runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River Indian reserve near Brantford, Ontario, and for much of his career the dominant long distance runner of the time. When he was a child a Mohawk resident of the reserve, Bill Davis, who in 1901 finished second in the Boston Marathon, interested him in running races. He began racing in 1905, finishing second in the Victoria Day race at Caledonia, … - Khalid Khannouchi
Khalid Khannouchi is a Moroccan marathon athlete who now represents the United States of America. He is the former world record holder for the marathon and held the former road world best for the 20km distance. He is one of only four people to break the marathon world record more than once, and one of only three to break their own marathon world record.
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