Steven Micael Plasencia (born October 28, 1956, in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is a former American long-distance runner. Plasencia competed in the 10,000 metres at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1992 Summer Olympics. In the closest 1-2 finish in the race's history, Plasencia edged out Keith Brantly by one second to win the 1992 California International Marathon (2:14:14). [1] Plasencia won the Oct 1997 USATF National Masters Marathon Championship at age 40. [2] His 14:02.86 5000 metres at the Drake Relays at the age of 40 was the American Masters record until 2014 when it was broken by Bernard Lagat.
Plasencia was the head cross-country and assistant track and field coach at the University of Minnesota, until his retirement in 2021, where he won three Indoor Big Ten Track and Field Championships (2009, 2010, 2011) and two Outdoor Big Ten Track and Field Championships (2009, 2010) . [3] He was also an All-American runner for the Minnesota Golden Gophers track and field team, finishing 5th in the 5000 m at the 1976 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. [4]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing the  United States | ||||
| 1992 | California International Marathon | California State Capitol, United States | 1st | 2:14:14 |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 10th | 2:16:56 |
