Coolest elite runner you've met in person?

Gebrselassie--the best

Todd Williams. Met him at Mt Sac relays (94 or 95, I think)when I was in high school and he came up and sat in the hot tub with us at the hotel and had a chat, offering some advice and just being a nice guy. Bob Kennedy seemed like a good guy too when I chatted to him (breifly) this summer at the AAA 10k champs in Watford (as did Wejo also seem like a good guy). Kip Keino is a great guy too, came to our BBQ in Edmonton during worlds in 2001.

Joan Benoit was cool and classy!

Rod DeHaven.

Super guy and very humble. He should be the shining example in this sport the way he has juggled everything (running, family, job) over the years.

rod dixon

very cool guys, totally down to earth kiwi, who spent 20 minutes chatting to my wife and myself. I could easily see going to get a beer with the guy, and never even had to bring up his great win in ny in 83.

Abdi

Krumm. definatly. That guy is awesome, i ran with him whne he came to the running camp i was attending, they he played basketball with some other kids(he hit 5 three's in a row) all after doing a real hard work out.

1000,800,600,400,300

2:25,1:53,1:23,52,39

I haven't met many, but I thought DeHaven was a great guy. He was extremely humble, asked me about my training, and gave some encouragement. He just seemed like a genuinely nice and cool guy.

bernard lagat

Bill Rodgers and Joanie. I met Bill at the BRRC and the Bix. He seriously takes 10-15 minutes with each person and constantly asks questions about his/her running and, of course, his/her running dreams. GREAT guy! Joan is amazing as well. I met her after I had just run a marathon and she gave me great advice about taking things slowly - not doing too much too soon. They are definitely the best elites I have met! Jenny Spangler is also right up there!!!

Yasuko Hashimoto (2003 Berlin marathon champ), very intelligent sweet and friendly....her smile just melts my heart.

Also Ronaldo DaCosta....very very funny guy.

All were very pleasant...

Peter Delacerda

Scott Larson

Deena (Drossin) Kastor

Bob Kennedy

Dick Beardsley & Steve Scott

The late Richard Chelimo spent 30mins of his warmup time chatting to me and my pal before winning a 5k in London. He had just broken the world 10000m record and truely realised just what an achievement it had been, he was totally humbled by his own performance if that makes sense. It was interesting to hear him talking about how things had gone prior to the record and how he wasn't sure how he could top that performance.....he just said, "well, i will just try to keep winning".

Great man.

Great loss.

I bumped into Bill Rodgers just once. I was jogging/hobbling back down Commonwealth to my hotel at Kenmore Sq. after the marathon and he was on the sidewalk jogging towards Boylston.

"How'd your race go?" he says

"I was going great up until the cemetary." I said

"Yeah you and about 15,000 other people" he said with a laugh.

Seemed like a very cool guy.

David is a cool guy. I don't know him well personally, but I did run for the same high school, the year after he graduated. He is somewhat of a legend around Las Cruces, still owns the state record in the 800m (1:51.xx), and did in fact play basketball in HS. The man had some serious hops.

Well, I wasn't there, but at Nationals last year my hubby was waiting to use the porta-potty and looked over at the guy next to him and said "Hey, you look just like Michael Johnson." He looked again and said, "Oh, you ARE Michael Johnson!" Hubby said he could hear Michael chuckling the whole time he was in the john. My husband thought it was pretty funny, too.

I met Krummenacker at Millrose last year and he's a really nice guy...I also met Bob Kennedy after his 5k at Penn last year and he's also really cool...he took off his number and autographed it for me...

Jim Jursevich, Clint Verran, Brian Sell, Trent Briney, Richie Brinker, Nick Cordes, Monica Hostetler, Leigh Daniel,Carl Rundell, Jeff Campbell.......