Joe Falcon

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For the musician, see Joe Falcon (musician).

Joe Falcon (born June 23, 1966) is a former US middle distance runner whose greatest success was his victory in the 1990 Oslo Dream Mile with a time of 3:49.31 minutes, ranking No. 1 in the world during 1990. In the course of the race, he ran a personal best over 1500 m of 3:33.6.

On August 10, 1990, he suffered a torn sheath in his left Achilles' tendon during a race in Brussels, Belgium, in which he was spiked accidentally by another runner.

Falcon ran at the University of Arkansas under legendary coach John McDonnell. He was the anchor leg of the Arkansas Razorbacks distance medley relay that won at the 1986 Penn Relays. He was the NCAA Cross Country Champion in 1987. Falcon won 6 individual NCAA titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. (Indoor 3,000 m champion 1987 & 1988, indoor mile champ 1988, outdoor 10,000 m champion 1987, outdoor 1,500 m champion 1988, cross country champion 1987.)

Falcon attended Belton High School in Missouri. While there, he won the Missouri High School cross country division 1A-3A race in 1983, running the 5000 meter race in a time of 15:57.5. He then had a stellar track season, in which he achieved marks of 1:52.45 (800 meters), 4:06.6 (1600 meters), and 8:53.35 (3200 meters), all in 1984.

It has been said on a side-note that Joe Falcon could also bench press over 225 lbs, an astonishing amount for his small frame.

Falcon currently works as a police officer in Bentonville, Arkansas, and serves on the school board. He is married, with three children.