Pat Porter dead in plane crash

I am 33, so this guy was already a legend when I was in high school (1993-1997).

I remember my High School coach telling me about Pat. Shared some articles and so forth. I kept that knowledge in my head for years, always bringing his quotes and accomplishments into my head when runs/races got tough.

Pat is one of those runners' runners. He wasn't a glamour boy, although his form/stride was a work of art. I am not saying that he wasn't attractive; I actually think the ladies loved Pat. I mean that he didn't seek the spotlight. He just trained his ass off and won races like a boss. Runners appreciate that.

When I went to see Without Limits, I was more excited about seeing Pat than anything else.

A serious running boss has passed. It is a sad day for all runners.

I will pray for his wife and daughter. What an awful tragedy.

Stating the obvious wrote:

Wow... very sad. RIP to his family

I saw him run NCAA's cross country championships (I think) one time at Penn State and he just killed the field and looked so fresh afterwards talking to his coach.

He inspired so many of lesser runners

That PSU race was the USA T&F XC Champs right after Thanksgiving I think your talking about. I was there with an athlete in the Jr race. The day before the races we head out to the course for a run through. As we walk from the parking lot to the course a few cars of Athletics West runners pull up. Before long we start out running the course and as we head up the first long opening mile straight on the golf course and as we start up a little rise just before the mile we hear this sound coming up behind us. As it gets closer it start to almost sound like a freight train and a second later zip goes Pat Porter by us and as he does he says "Got ya". Sure he was just getting himself ready for the next day but it was impressive when he went flying by us.

The next day the Sr Men's race was over at the mile as Porter went right to the front and blew the field away.

People talk about the current crop of distance runners starting the return of the USA on the World scene, well that may be true but it was Pat Porter who was one of those who kept the US there during some diffcult years. Not afraid to mix it up with the Africans and always brought his A game to the line.

xc tuna wrote:

I am surprised he had an airplane. I remember reading RW article about 10 years ago that he was working as a construction worker. I recall he didn't seem to be doing great financially.

Not that it matters, but Pat did very well in business; super successful. He developed, so I guess you could say he was "in construction."

Not everyone who wears a hard hat is poor.

I met Pat at the NAIA National Cross Country meet in Kenosha, Wisconsin when Adams State was dominating the NAIA. We were staying in the same hotel. Nicest guy you could ever meet. Engaging and respectful to everyone on my team as well as anyone I saw him interact with. We continued to see cross paths for the next couple years at various meets and he was always the same. A credit to Pat that I have not read a single negative post here. RIP, Pat.

asu guy wrote:

pre841 wrote:

Agreed. If Pat doesn't deserve a black page I don't know who does.

BLACK PAGE PLEASE !!!!!!

Pat Porter was an American Cross country legend the likes of which we may never see again.

Agree. He was a great, great CC runner -- sadly, a sport that the US doesn't care about, even less than track -- and a great runner generally. Tough guy, and this was much too young.

Thank you. A tribute to a GREAT runner and very good man.

Yes BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE!BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! BLACK PAGE! come on everybody BLACK PAGE!!!

Rest in Peace , my thoghts and prayers are with trish,jack & ruthy , i know your with god, say hi to grandma,and my parents

There was an excellent article on Pat by- I believe- Merrell Noden in The Runner in about 1985- does anyone know if this article is available someplace online? I liked it a lot at the time but have long ago lost my copy of it. Thanks

Pat's loss is a great loss to his family, friends, as well as the running community. I had the pleasure of meeting him after the 94 XC Nationals in Portland (I think he beat me by a mile!). Great guy. I still have the autograph he signed for me. Hell of a runner and tough as nails. Prayers for his wife, and daughter for losing Pat and their son/brother as well as for the son's friend who was lost as well. Tomorrow's 20 miler will be to honor him.

Devstating and sad news. I first noticed Porter by following some NAIA results when he was still in college, and then he made quite a splash by winning US XC nationals at age 22, from a podunk college in Colorado.

We'd see him at big races in Colorado all the time--as everyone says, an amazing runner with that distinctive high knee lift stride, lithe and totally fluid.

I was there at Van Cortland when his streak ended, and he was totally gracious in defeat to upstart Bob Kempainen.

Condolences to his wife and daughter.

A sad day.

This is a sad day indeed. Just moved and into a new house during the move I came across a copy of The Runner magazine with Pat as the cover and feature inside. That issue is sitting on my night stand right now. I'll scan it in and post it on Monday when I am back at work.

I once saw him run a road mile in Old Colorado City on St Patrick's Day. He got second that day but still managed to run slightly over 4 minutes on a cold windy Colorado morning.

Sad day for anyone involved in the sport of track and cross country.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and many friends.

Pat Porter has a Black Page! Awesome!!! Except Pat's birth year is 1959 not 1953.

Very sad news. Pat Porter was my first running hero when I was in high school. I love the "seeing God" quote, but the other one that sticks in my mind was in a magazine article that described him running hill repeats on the sand dunes outside Alamosa. The author said by the end he was breathing like a vacuum cleaner trying to pick up marbles. A tough, tough runner. RIP

Here is Pat giving a speech just a week ago (July 20th)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZjjJVQcUnA

Many Many Many thanks to LetsRun.com for giving Pat the honor of a BLACK PAGE!! Thank you again.

The announcers said there were 20,000 spectators at this race?!!! Twenty thousand spectators for a CC race in New Jersey, in the middle of the winter? I doubt that would ever happen today!

We just watched "Without Limits" at xc camp at Black Hills State. I had forgotten that Pat played Lasse Viren in the movie.

Pat was definitely an inspiration for cross runners everywhere. My heart aches for his loved ones.

Thanks for posting that