Who was/is Craig Virgin?

zatopek-

you wouldnt mine typin out the top 40-50 of each would ya?

please. pretty please.

I don't have the other result you wanted. Just the '81 TAC I posted.

Click here to read about the brief interview Craig Virgin had with Illinoisrunner.com during last spring's boys state track meet...www.illinoisrunner.com/virgindiscussion.html

or you can go to illinoisrunner.com and click on archives and then click on boysstate 2001-2002. He some very interesting things to say about running and runners today.

ILLINOISRUNNER.COM EXCLUSIVE

BRIEF TALK WITH:

CRAIG VIRGIN

Craig Virgin is one of Illinois' finest distance runners ever, if not the greatest. He went on to the University of Illinois and was an All-American numerous times. After college he went onto become a very successful professional athlete. Probably his most remembered efforts are his two World Cross Country Championship wins, the only American man to ever win that title. Mr. Virgin was at the boys state meet and was on the infield conversing and cheering on athletes all day. We at IllinoisRunner, had the great opportunity to have a 15 minute discussion with the great and really pick his mind about certain topics. While some of his statements and views will cause some conversation, we believe that all of you will really enjoy reading this piece. We asked him many questions and he responded to almost all of them, here is what Craig Virgin has to say:

IllinoisRunner: On the topic of the state of American distance running among the college and high school scene.

Craig Virgin: "There has been a renaissance in distance running in high school the past five years. Kids need to change their attitudes. They need to think like champions. Look at some of these kids coming out now. That kid from Michigan, Ritzenhein, he trains so hard and it's paying off. Kids just can't be scared. They need to train hard and race with guts."

IR: On the topic of the two mile, both classes, at the state meet.

Craig Virgin: "The second race was a little disappointing. I want to see kids take it out and run fast. That is the problem today. Not only in high school but with American distance runners in general. They don't show the guts we had back when I was racing in high school and professionally. (Steve) Prefontaine and I used to talk about our races and we always ran our fastest times when we raced up front and pushed the pace. Kids today lack that determination. They are to willing to just sit back. Look at all these kids. When was the last time the Class A race had a faster time than the Class AA race? Probably not for 20+ years. The kid that won the Class A race, Hird, he took it out and ran tough. I think he is a sleeper and will improve a lot in college. It showed. He ran a great time. The Class AA race was disappointing. It seemed like everyone was scared of Vandenend and didn't want to lead. That's a shame."

IR: On the topic of colleges in Illinois and what they can do to get to the national level.

Craig Virgin: "Keeping kids in their home state. That is all there is to it. Illinois has the top 3-5 best states for cross country and track and field year in and year out. If you can keep atleast half of those kids in state the college programs will be more successful. I think that the University of Illinois really needs to make the effort to start the change of keeping kids in state. They need to set the standard.

They are the school everyone looks at to set the precedent. Their program for distance running has been down the last decade. Before I went there it was down, then I went there and it went up and was more successful, then I left and it went down again and has never come back up. We have the talent. What has to happen is that we have to keep our talented kids in state. There is no reason why U of I can't be top ten nationally (in track and field) every year if they could get our top kids. So just keep them home and that will help a lot."

IR: On the topic of Mr. Virgin maybe getting into a coaching job somewhere.

Craig Virgin: "You know I have thought about it off and on for the last few years. I have looked into coaching a small college down by where I live, McKendree college. I am not certain on anything right now. We'll see."

IR: On the topic of what kids need to do in order to run fast times.

Craig Virgin: "Kids have to believe in their potential. They can be so much better. They need to run enough distance. Kids need more base. They need to run 60-80 miles per week in the off seasons and in season they need to run 50-60 miles a week. They also need to run intervals for times. They need to set the tempo. If kids want to run fast they need to train fast. They need to run more fast tempos and faster intervals."

IR: On the topic of travel restrictions on kids and how to improve the state meet.

Craig Virgin: "Why are those rules there, they should not be (referring to travel restrictions). All these rules do is put an impediment on kids abilitlies. This legislates mediocrity. Kids need to go to where the best are. Not every kid needs to go to these meets, just the top kids in the state. Travel restrictions just limit kids and really hurt their development as great athletes."

"Something I would really like to see be done is have the state meet become a twilight meet (as in under the night sky). The best track is run at night. Also this would help the distance runners. They shouldn't be out here running in 80 degree heat at noon. That isn't right. I know a twilight meet would most likely never pass, with the liability of people driving home that late at night. But I do think that would be nice to see."

IR: On the topic of anything else he wanted to comment on. We suggested commenting on his high school races.

Craig Virgin: "You know when I ran at state my senior year it was 90 degrees out and I was running on an asphalt track. It was hot! I ran as hard as I could in that race and was very tired heading into the mile. I didn't really want to run the mile, but I felt I owed it to the crowd to run a fast mile. I didn't run as fast as I wanted. The next weekend I ran at Prospect in the two mile and it was so hot that I got huge blisters on my feet. The track was melting it was so hot. I wanted to run the next weekend but I had to scratch because my blisters were so bad."

This brief session with Mr. Virgin was an experience that we will never forget and hopefully you will find our piece interesting and exciting. He is one of the true greats. Not only in our state but of all time. Mr. Virgin has a lot to offer, especially with all of the huge races he has run and the training he did back in the huge era of distance running. If you ever see him go up and talk to him. He is knowledgable, always loves to tell stories of his past races and experiences, and is a truly nice man. Hope all of you enjoy this brief discussion with Craig Virgin.

That mindset is the difference between a good runner and a great one.

Malmo, I have a question about the results from '81 TAC cross that I posted above. You weren't in them. Did you ever run TAC cross? Were you still with AW then, or were done with them by then?

81 TAC. No I was in the middle of 14 months of down time when I stepped in a hole 8 months earlier while training for World XC (Madrid). Finished second on that team at the trials with a badly injured PF. Being in the best shape of my life I was just hoping to hang on for the Worlds and then some badly needed down time. Our first 5 runners had it won. Virgin 1st, Hunt 8th, Nenow, Bickford, Donakowski together at 17th, 18th, 19th. Dan Dillon had the only bad XC race of his life, leaving the burden on me to close the deal. After starting DFL, and my wheels falling off, as I passed Dillon with a lap to go he informed me I was the last scorer (in those days 6 scored). I sucked it up as best I could for 51st. The lowest score by a US team ever. We cudda been a contendah.

It's a damn shame. We had a good group that competed as a team. I don't know if any of you have ever had the experience of a team grounded in sportsmanship and camaraderie, I you have, you'll attest to how much fun it is (I've been lucky, my HS and college teams were tight).

I was New Balance in 1981. Being one of the original half dozen at AW, I quit in 1978 when it was clear to me what they meant by "East German style" sports club (their words, not mine.)

PS It was Madrid where I first played PacMan! Was far short of a million points to be sure.

malmo wrote:It's a damn shame. We had a good group that competed as a team. I don't know if any of you have ever had the experience of a team grounded in sportsmanship and camaraderie, I you have, you'll attest to how much fun it is.

I was New Balance in 1981. Being one of the original half dozen at AW, I quit in 1978 when it was clear to me what they meant by "East German style" sports club (their words, not mine.)

Thanks. I just couldn't remember when you jumped off the AW ship.

Yeah, I have had that experience of a tight team. Best thing there is.

Tight?

Talk about tight. I am about to head out for a three day camping trip with some of my teammates for the mid 1980's Edinboro teams.

We have been carrying on this annual tradition since 1986. We have not missed a year.

You might remember Greg Beardsley (8:2? steeplechase back in 1980's) we camp on his land.

The time I spent with those guys at the Boro were so good that we never let the friendships end. We are like brothers.

I checked out Malmo's link to World Cross Results and was interested to see that it appears that the US skipped the first Junior Cross Country. That was the year I think that Virgin ran 12th in the US Senior Cross Country Race at age 17. It seems likely that he would have had a good chance to be a two time world junior champ as well, if he had had the opportunity.

Virgin took 13th at the 1972 AAU XC meet, held at Washington Park at the University of Chicago. It had snowed the night before, and the course had 3-4 inches of the white stuff.

Virgin has claimed he actually took 12th in that race, by outleaning a Bowling Green runner at the chute (Tracy McDonald?), but there was a mix-up with the numbers being passed out, and he got 13th instead of 12th.

Ok, Virgin...one of the top 10 American Distance runners ever. The man was unstoppable for years. I mean...He took 2nd at Boston in 81 I believe, maybe 80, and the guy was not a marathoner. And his 10k ability...I think we've seen enough data to realize the guy was quite studly. I mean, he smoked Salazar at the '80 OTs...granted...Salazar wasn't quite Salazar yet, but I mean...he freaking smoked him. Beat Greg Fredericks (who was 2nd in the OT that year) by nearly 20 seconds, and Fredericks was no slouch. However...on his being arrogant. Oh yeah, he's quite arrogant. He's quite disliked in the St. Louis area for that reason. Yet, he's also idolized. Virgin is either loved or hated here. I live in St. Louis, and am from Illinois, grew up 20 minutes from Lebanon where Craig was from. I've met him on numerous occasions. Never remembers me for any reason, but always introduces himself as "Craig Virgin, World Cross Country Champion, and three time Olympian"...and each time it's like..."No sh*%?" The man is very self-promoting. Nice guy...but...likes to advertise his greatness. I watched my brother's Regional Cross Country meet this past October, held in Lebanon, and none other than Mr. Virgin was the honorary starter, or whatever. His speech went something like this..."You know, 30 years ago, I remember running my last high school cross country meet. Of course, it was the IHSA (Illinois High School Association) State Championships up at Peoria...a race I won..." blah blah blah. Do I like him? Once he gets over himself and just talks with ya, sure. Do I respect his times...hell yes. The dude was fast. Anyway...I was just rambling on my take on Virgin, having spoken to him on numerous occasions.

cv

2mi 8:22 Oslo Games

3000m 7:48.2 Brooks Invitational

5K 13:19.1 Oslo Games

10K 27:29.16 Sport 2000

10 miroad-46:30

Mar 2:10:27 Boston

yep this guy is a bad ass

Bumpadelic

Gordo has a hard on for Jorge because they're both mojados.

... who's Craig Virgin, again? I got a little lost here.

I was interested to read the records site but I was surprised to see that they only went back to 73! My room-mate at college ran in international XC before then and ran on the English team in what we called the World Champs (I think they were officially known as 'Cross des Nations'). My guess is that they were organised by someone other than IAAF prior to 73, anyone know?

The following is from a 1971 Runner's World "Booklet of the Month" #2, "The Varied World of Cross-Country"

"The 'international' cross-country meet is a joke. It's nothing but an exclusive club. To run the race, athletes must come from countries that belong to the International Cross-Country Union, and they must be members of full teams. The ICCU has only a handful of member nations, most of them European - western European that is."

As I recall my room-mate ran in Morrocco and NZ also ran in the meet, the Kenyans weren't the force they are today. You're right about the organisation, it was the ICCU.

CV was one of our best ever, that was also robbed of a chance in history/time back in 1980 ( Carter ). 27:29.16, in 1980 mind you, what are there only three USA guys ahead of him ever? 2 WXC champs. 8:40 in HS? 2:10 marathon, second in Boston. Also what 2-3 times made our Olympic team. You need to think more before posting ok. Your too f***ed up to comment on Craig Virgin. Give him some respect, ... The guy had huge sack. Frank Shorter & Craig Virgin both huge egos, why not when your the MAN? The MAN.