Best College runner ever

yea he had skabbies, in his book he talks about the affect it had on some of his running.....especially in his later career.

"...especially in his later career."

Pre never got out of college. What is this later career you are referring to?

I know Pre's beloved and a legend, but to call him the best college runner of all-time is just insupportable any actual facts, stats, or evidence.

Pre competed in college from 1970-1973. He ran one full season out of college and was starting his second when he died in May 1975.

Nyambui, UTEP

Outdoors

5k 80, 81, 82

10k 79, 80, 81, 82

XC 80

Indoor

Mile 79, 80, 81, 82

3k 79, 80, 82

Falcon

Outdoor 1500 88

10k 87

XC 87

Indoor

Mile 88, 89

3k 87, 88

Prefontaine

Outdoor

Still holds 3 mile 1973

5k 70, 71, 72, 73

No indoor titles

Rono

Outdoor

Still holds 3k SC 1978

3k SC 78, 79

XC 76, 77, 79

U.S. -- Falcon showed more range, has more indiv titles, now what--charisma? Potential...back to Pre

Overall -- Nyambui, how would you argue it?

This whole thing seems to stick to recent (since Pre) runners.

Thanks, I should have reached over to the bookshelf before typing that...I was reading it when you corrected me.

pre ran 27:43 for 10k i believe, could have been americas best 10ker ever

So? Can you go beyond this? Are you offering someone else as being better? Just rattling the keyboard again?

Gerry Lindgren is by far the best college distance runner ever. He won something like 11 NCAA individual titles in his career at Washington State, I think that Jesse Owen's is next in line with 9 tites.

Lindgren eats Rono for supper, and still has room for desert!

I think Suzy Favor Hamilton won 9 titles too! Go Suzy!

Doh,

Try this...sort of a capsule about Rono:

http://users.erols.com/jimsue/running/pot_pourri/henry_rono.htm

Could use Google, "Henry Rono" and learn a little track history.

Lindgren, WSU

XC 66, 67, 69

Outdoor

5k 66, 67, 68

10k 66, 67, 68

Indoor

2 mile 66, 67

I apologize for missing him earlier.

Interesting how much doubling was done a few years back versus how much hoopla is raised when someone does it these days.

Marvelous Marcella wrote:

Interesting how much doubling was done a few years back versus how much hoopla is raised when someone does it these days.

yea, and uh, how long did his career last after that doubling? thank you. not against doubling, just it's making a sacrifice.

NCAA Individual Titles, Career

7 - Suleiman Nyambui, UTEP (5,000-meter run 1980-81-82, 10,000-meter run 1979-8081-82).

6 - Ralph Metcalfe, Marquette (100-meter dash 1932, 100-yard dash 1933-34, 200-meter dash 1932, 220-yard dash 1933-34); Gerry Lindgren, Washington St. (three-mile run 1966-67, 5,000-meter run 1968, six-mile run 1966-67, 10,000-meter run 1968).

NCAA Repeat Champions

4 - Steve Prefontaine, Oregon (three-mile run 1970-71-72*-73); Suleiman Nyambui, UTEP (10,000-meter run 1979-80-81-82).

*Event run at metric distance.

It comes down to beating the best at the biggest meet of the year - and then doing it in multiple years. If you're talking distance running it has to be Pre or Lindgren. As for Nyambui, he was reportedly in his late 20s as a freshman in the fall of '78....he looked like a WW II vet. I think you should narrow it down to college age..18-22

I used total NCAA titles (XC, Outdoor, Indoor).

If he (Nyambui) was a legal college student at the time he competed, what is the problem? What will be the next qualifier to eliminate someone? Right-handedness? Left-handedness. People from towns that start with "B" or are within 59 miles of a river that empties into the Gulf of Mexico?

You go by the rules in place at the time a person was a student.

It has to be Rono. World Records are above any title other than Olympic Gold I think. So it is easily Rono if nothing else than for his magical season of however many records he broke. Simply amazing.

Who said anything about rules? I'm talking about a level playing field. Are you going to tell me there is no difference between an 18 year old freshman with state meet experience and a 28 year old freshman with a ton of international experience? Your argument is specious. It's because of what UTEP and other schools did that the rules ended up being modified in the first place. Nyambui was the equivalent of the over-aged kid who pitched in the Litte League World Series.

I'm not arguing with you about anything.

I am not discussing age and physical performance differences.

You want to eliminate any reference to Nyambui because he was older than most collegiate competitors and today that (his age) is not allowed. He was in compliance with the rules at that time, therefore he runs and his wins still stand--the NCAA did not remove them from their lists when they changed the rules. You don't change history because you changed the rules.

The overaged kid in the Little League World Series was in violation of the rules at that time--that is why is made the news.

I'm not advocating changing history, I believe in making sure it's not distorted.

Most folks competing at the time didn't consider Nyambui a "collegian", he was just another hired gun from El Paso. There is the letter of the law, with which UTEP complied at the time, then there is the spirit of the law. No compliance.

Lindgren or Pre. Falcon is also a viable choice for best college runner ever.