Paul Cummings

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Paul R. Cummings (5 September 1953 – 17 September 2001) was a world-class runner who held both American and World records from the mile to the marathon. His ability to have a middle distance runner's kick and also have the stamina to compete in distances up to the marathon place him as one of the most versatile American track and road racers in history.

Cummings did not always see running as his strength. He played basketball in junior high, and wanted to continue in high school, but failed to make the team. However, when he came in first in his P.E. class in the mile run, a new opportunity opened up for him; he was asked to join the track team, and by his senior year he was running the mile in 4:09, the second best time in California, seventh best in the country.

Running for Brigham Young University, Cummings was named All-American five years in a row. His junior year he became the NCAA champion in the mile run. Coach Clarence Robison said Cummings was "a great performer and has great courage. He's a tenacious, fierce competitor."

In 1976 he won the gold medal in the two-mile event at Los Angeles's Sunkist Invitational Track Meet. The following year he won it in the mile. Also in 1977, Cummings, representing the U.S., won Canada's Tri-Country Indoor Track and Field Meet, competing against Canada and the Soviet Union.

Cummings was the first Intermountain Area runner to break the four-minute mile, and has done so several times, setting a Madison Square Garden record in 1976 while winning the famed Wanamaker Mile. His personal best for the mile is 3:56.4

Cummings broke the American Record for the indoor 1500 meter race in 1979, with a time of 3:37.6. This is still one of the top 3 fastest indoor times by an American in this event.

Hoping to go to the 1980 Olympics, after a regime of five hours of workout, six days a week, while working full-time, Cummings was one of many athletes disappointed by the U.S.'s boycott of the Games being held in Moscow that year. Due to work demands and disappointment at the 1980 boycott, Cummings came close to retiring altogether from running but began training again in earnest in 1982.

In 1983, Cummings came back strong on the road racing circuit, winning and placing high in several road races, including a World Record in the Half marathon in September 1983, with a time of 1:01:32. Paul Cummings was the #1 road racer in the world in 1983. Finally, in 1984, Paul was able to compete in the 10,000 meter run in the Olympics held in Los Angeles.

Cummings continued running after the Olympics and won the 1985 Stockholm Marathon. His best marathon time came in winning the 1986 Houston Marathon in 2:11:32.

In the late 1980s, he started a summer high school running camp in Park City, Utah which ran for several years and helped hundreds of high school runners from across the country reach their potential.

He enjoyed fishing and in September 2001, drowned after his fishing boat capsized at Strawberry Reservoir, Utah. He was survived by his wife, Gaye and four children, Heidi, Scott, Holly and Kelly.