Any Dave Merrick Stories?

8:43 on an indoor board track in high school.

"Cortland" is a small college in Upstate New York.

"Van CortlandT" is perhaps the most-run xc course in the country. Please spell its name correctly!

Well, he won the Heps cross-country race in 1971 and '73 and '75.

IIRC he had terrible knee problems. Operations, etc., were not very successful. He was finally able to run more consistently when he got orthoses.

None of those three wins were particularly close. He won by a half-minute-plus in the last two.

He also ran 23:51 in 1975, *still* the collegiate 5M record at VCP.

BRF wrote:

None of those three wins were particularly close. He won by a half-minute-plus in the last two.

He also ran 23:51 in 1975, *still* the collegiate 5M record at VCP.

"equals" the collegiate 5m record.

malmo wrote:

"equals" the collegiate 5m record.

For a second I thought this was a correction. (Entirely possible--I don't follow the sport as closely as I used to.)

But then I re-read and saw that you were simply agreeing with me: 23:51 is still the record. Thanks for the corroboration.

You're welcome. Eric Carter, one of the legions of walk-ons at Penn State, tied Merrick's VCP 5 mile record in 1986.

In 1984 Charlie Bevier ran 23:49 on the 8k course, which was broken by Martin Fagan in 2005 at the Big East Championships -- 23:48, still extrinsically inferior to the 5 mile marks.

Props to Merrick's high school coach, Joe Rodriguez, at Lincoln Way in Frankfort, IL. He turned out some other superb runners, but Merrick was a great guy and special talent. Years later, in typical letsrun fashion, I asked Coach Rodriguez (a family friend) what his "secret" was and he said "distance and speedwork". Served me right.

I know a guy who was teammates with Merrick at Penn. Says Merrick is alive and well in Florida. Said he's the same great guy he always was.

The 8:43 was on the slightly oversized flat U of IL track.Also ran 4:05 there.

malmo wrote:

8:43 on an indoor board track in high school.

He was in S Orange, NJ, not aware of a move to FL.

I Sing the Body Electric wrote:

I know a guy who was teammates with Merrick at Penn. Says Merrick is alive and well in Florida. Said he's the same great guy he always was.

statman wrote:

The 8:43 was on the slightly oversized flat U of IL track.

Also ran 4:05 there.

malmo wrote:

8:43 on an indoor board track in high school.

Yes, that great track was oversized (5 laps/mile?) I remember running the two mile for Minnesota there, in 1969 and running 8:57, a PR and first time under the elusive (for me) 9:00. to win the Big 10 2-mile. I was "crushed" and greatly humbled when this HIGH SCHOOL KID -Merrick- ran 8:43 a few years later. Always wondered what became of him in college, etc. What is the track like now at Illinois? That was quite a treat to run on it in the late 60s, believe it was Tartan surface. OSS

263 yards around is what I was told.

Merrick has the HS indoor 3-mile record ~13:36...far superior to the HS 5000 meter best.

ie, HS indoor 5000 meter best.

statman wrote:

Merrick has the HS indoor 3-mile record ~13:36...far superior to the HS 5000 meter best.

Scroll down, on the left.

http://runningentertainment.com/runningshots3.html

statman wrote:

263 yards around is what I was told.

I thought it was a bigger track than that. 263y is not as over-sized as I thought. Would have been between 6 and 7 laps/mile, which seems strange. I remember in 1969 it was a pretty new facility and the Illini coach was saying that it was worth a "second a lap". Most indoor tracks were considerably smaller (176 or 220y), and this had a very fast surface. Either Tartan or something similar. Don't know about a "second a lap" faster, but it was a nice change coming off our dirt indoor track at the U of M fieldhouse. We affectionately called it the "meat-grinder"! Dave Merrick's times are still pretty amazing on the Illini track, even though over- sized.

Merrick was in Gainesville, FL in early 80's working for UF administration. Running at that point was recreational, due to his knees. Ate a lot of pizza and beer with T.L. Green.

coachkritter wrote:

Merrick was in Gainesville, FL in early 80's working for UF administration. Running at that point was recreational, due to his knees. Ate a lot of pizza and beer with T.L. Green.

He lives in New Jersey now, working as a fundraiser for his alma mater, Penn.