Craig Virgin

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Craig Virgin (born August 2, 1955) is an American distance runner. He was born in Belleville, Illinois and grew up near Lebanon, Illinois. While in high school, Craig won 5 state championships as well as setting the national outdoor 2-mile record of 8:40.9 (beating Steve Prefontaine's mark of 8:41.5, though slightly short of Gerry Lindgren's 8:40.0 indoor record from 1964). While attending the University of Illinois, he won 9 Big Ten Conference championships as well as the 1975 NCAA Cross Country championship. He was a three time Olympic qualifier at 10,000 meters. He was a seven time American record holder in road and track events, including a 27:39.4 in the 10,000 meters in 1979 (breaking Steve Prefontaine's American record) and a 27:29.16 in 1980 that was the second fastest 10,000 meters in history at the time. He was a three time winner of the 10K Peachtree Road Race (1979-1981), a three time national champion in the 10,000 meters at the U.S. National Track & Field Championships (1978, 1979, and 1982) and the winner of the 1980 Olympic Trials 10,0000 meters. He enjoyed success in the few marathons he ran, his fastest time coming in a 2nd place finish in the 1981 Boston Marathon (2:10:26). His biggest accomplishment was being the first (and still only) American man to win the IAAF World Cross Country Championships; which he did twice in 1980 and 1981. He retired from competitive racing in 1993. In 2001, he was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame.

[edit] References

• National Distance Running Hall of Fame - Craig Virgin
• http://www.activeness.net/2006/03/going-distance-catching-up-with-craig.html