Chuck Smead

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Chuck Smead
2012 Mt Washington Road Race-251 (7408069374).jpg
Chuck Smead (left) at 2012 Mount Washington Road Race
Personal information
BornAugust 4, 1951 (1951-08-04) (age 73)
Medal record
Men's Athletics
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Pan American Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1975 Mexico City Marathon

Charles Smead (born August 4, 1951) [1] is an American long-distance runner, who made his most significant mark on the sport taking second in the Marathon at the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City. [2]

Originally from Santa Paula High School in Santa Paula, California, where he was an outstanding 2 miler, taking second place at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in 1968. [3]

He continued to excel in long distance at Humboldt State University, [4] where he won the NCAA Division II 6 mile/10000 metre Championship twice. [5] In 1972 he began a string of three straight wins in the famous Pikes Peak Marathon, he added a fourth victory in 1976. [6] [7] He has completed the race six times, the most recent as a 57-year-old. [8] He also won the Avenue of the Giants Marathon in 1974 [9] In 1980, he was runner up at the Chicago Marathon. [10]

In the 1970s he was one of the early luminaries of ultramarathoning, [11] [12] yet as a Senior athlete he is not above sprinting 100 metres. [13] He was twice ranked in the United States top ten in the marathon. [14] He continues to be active, winning the M60 division of the 2012 USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships in October 2012. [15]

Smead has been credited with spreading the sport of ultramarathoning into Europe. [16] [17] [18]

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References

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  15. "2012 USA Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships Men's Age Division Results". Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved 2019-12-22.
  16. Mostly Paved Blog
  17. "Pablo: The Man Behind a Remarkable Sierre-Zinal Record - Run the Alps". 25 April 2015.
  18. "Legends of the Trail". 24 February 2020.